Abstract
This study aims to identify the relationships between eating habits and psychological adjustment and health perception, and to analyze potential mediating role of healthy and unhealthy foods in the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and the psychological constructs and health perception. The sample was selected through stratified random cluster sampling and was composed of 788 university students. The participants responded to a MedDiet adherence screener and food consumption inventory to assess the eating habits, instruments measuring self-esteem, life satisfaction, curiosity and sense of coherence to assess the psychological adjustment, and single item measuring perceived health. The results revealed 41.9% of the participants had a high consumption of vegetables and 85.1% a low consumption of energy drinks, while 29.9% showed a high adherence to the MedDiet which was positively associated to each psychological variable and healthy foods and negatively with unhealthy foods. In conclusion, a higher adherence to the MedDiet, and the consumption of fruits and vegetables is related to higher psychological adjustment and health perception. However, the relationships between MedDiet and the psychological variables and health perception were fully or partially explained because of the consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods.
Highlights
Diet is a key element in public health [1]
The participants in the present study belonged to the following areas of knowledge: Arts and Humanities (6% of the sample), Engineering and Architecture (1.8%), Natural Sciences (2.4%), Health Sciences (41.4%), and, Social and Legal Sciences, which accounted for almost half of the sample (48.5%)
In the case of diet-related variables, moderate adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was observed in the population studied with a mean score of 7.42 (SD = 2.06), where the 29.9% of participants obtained scores above 9, indicating that they had a high level of adherence to MedDiet
Summary
Diet is a key element in public health [1]. The WHO describes it as one of the relevant aspects to be addressed within its Strategic Intervention Plan 2019–2023 [2]. Evidence indicates that the diet of university students is characterized by being hypercaloric and unstable [8,9], associated with high levels of consumption of alcoholic and sugary beverages and processed foods (high in “fat, sugar and sodium” and low in fiber) and low levels of fruit and vegetable consumption [10] as well as insufficient consumption of olive oil, whole grains and nuts [10], a pattern that is visible at exam time [11] It seems that university students, due to the characteristics of the important life stage in which they find themselves, would be at greater risk since, for many, the start of university studies entails moving away from their family home and having to take responsibility for different aspects of their lives, including the type of food they buy and consume. This makes this stage a critical time for the development of their eating habits [12]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
