Abstract |
Introduction: Dietary habits during preschool age have long-term effects on children’s future health since they are associated with the development of chronic diseases.
Methods: The main aim of this thesis was the evaluation of adherence to the Mediterranean diet in preschool children and its main determinants. . The analysis included 1081 mother-child pairs from the mother-child cohort study of Crete (RHEA study). A semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used in order to assess children’s dietary habits over the last year. The adherence to the Mediterranean diet was estimated with the use of the KIDMED index. The sequence score was then assessed concerning sociodemographic, environmental and anthropometric characteristics of the mothers and their children. Methods of univariate and multivariate analysis of the data were applied.
Results: 13,5% of the children (95% CI: 11.5-15.8) were found with a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, 64.9% (95% CI: 61.9-67.4) with a moderate and 21,6% (95% CI: 19,2-24,0) with a a high adherence, whereas no significant difference between sexes was found. The children with a high KIDMED sequence index, compared to the children with a low one, were breastfed for a longer average period of time (4.44 versus 3.16 months, respectively, p=0.009) whereas the children of mothers of Greek nationality compared to the children of foreigners had a significantly lower average index (5.74 versus 6.49, respectively, p=0.006). The multivariate analysis showed a significant positive correlation of the KIDMED index with a longer breastfeeding period (≥3 months) (β=0.60, 95%CI:0.14,1.05, p=0.011) as well as a negative correlation to the Greek nationality (β=0.63, 95%CI:-1.24,0.02, p=0.041)
Discussion: It was found that 4-year old Cretan children have a high sequence in a small percentage, however, according to the bibliography they had the highest percentages in Greece. Main determinants of the Mediterranean diet’s sequence are found to be the longer breastfeeding duration of children during infancy and the nationality of their mothers. Children of foreigners follow this specific dietary pattern at a higher frequency or grade. A total change of daily dietary choices and return to more traditional Cretan methods of food usage and consumption is necessary, as well as education at the level of primary prevention, while disclosing the benefits of Mediterranean diet.
|