Enhancing Mediterranean Diet Adherence: Insights from Sharjah, UAE
The study explores the adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) in Sharjah, UAE, a region typically disconnected from Mediterranean culinary traditions. By surveying adults using a web-based questionnaire, researchers identified the key factors that influence diet adherence. Despite the well-documented health benefits of the MD, which include reducing chronic disease risks and promoting longevity, adherence levels were only moderate among participants, highlighting the challenges of dietary acculturation.
Key predictors of higher adherence were physical activity, accurate nutrition information from dietitians, and engagement with health content on social media. Conversely, being a smoker and lacking familiarity with the MD were linked to lower adherence levels. These findings suggest that personalized dietary guidance and robust public health campaigns could significantly enhance MD adoption in non-traditional regions, benefiting public health and individual wellness.
The study also emphasized the role of local dietitians and social media in promoting healthier eating habits. As these platforms continue to influence daily choices, their potential to guide dietary improvements offers a modern approach to boosting MD adherence, showcasing the intersection of technology, culture, and nutrition in global health strategies.
Article Information
Determinants for Mediterranean diet adherence beyond the boundaries: a cross-sectional study from Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates
Published in: Journal of Translational Medicine, Mona Hashim et al.
Abstract
Background: Substantial evidence embraced the nutrition competence of the Mediterranean diet (MD) as a healthy model for decreasing the risk of chronic diseases and increasing longevity, with the bonus of ensuring environmental sustainability. Measuring adherence to this diet is marginally investigated in the Arabian Gulf region, an area away from the Mediterranean region. The current study aimed to assess the MD adherence among adults in Sharjah/the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and to identify the most influential predictors for MD adherence among the study participants.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed using a self-reported, web-based electronic questionnaire that questioned sociodemographics, lifestyle factors, and familiarity with the MD. The MD adherence was assessed by the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener validated questionnaire. The adherence level was classified as low for a total score of [0-5], medium [score 6-7], and high (8-13).
Results: The study included 1314 participants (age 25-52 years) comprised 822 (62.6%) females and 492 (37.4%) males. There was a moderate adherence score (5.9 ± 1.9) among the study participants. The food constituent expressed the lowest contribution to the MD was fish (9.3%), followed by fruits (12.3%), and legumes (18.3%). The multivariable linear regression analysis showed an overall significant linear trend for the association between the MD adherence score and physical activity, while nutrition information from dietitians and social media were the most two strongly related predictors for the higher adherence (β = 0.747; 95% CI 0.51-0.98, and β 0.60; 95% CI 0.269-0.93; p < 0.001, respectively). On the other side, being a smoker and from a non-Mediterranean country was associated with lower adherence scores (β = 0.538; 95% CI 0.252-0.82, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The findings of the current study showed a moderate adherence, low proportion for high adherence, and a gap in the familiarity with the diet name. Being married, physically active, non-smoker, and getting nutrition information from dietitians and social media were the strongest predictors for higher adherence. It is warranted that public health and nutrition specialists/dietitians to tailor new modern approaches for promoting healthy dietary behaviours consistent with the MD.
Bring preventive care to your clinic
© Longevity Artificial Intelligence. All rights reserved.