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Low adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in isolated adolescents: the mediation effects of stress
Since the dramatically increasing perceived loneliness among adolescents are linked with high stress levels and dysfunctional lifestyles, which are strongly influenced by eating habits, Ferrer-Cascales et al. (2018) analyzed the relationship between perceived loneliness, stress, dietary habits and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) among 527 Spanish adolescents. Greater perceived loneliness and stress levels were significantly associated with lower MD adherence. It was also highlighted that dietary patterns were poorer among those adolescents with greater perceived loneliness, compared with those with low levels of perceived loneliness. Moreover, mediation analyses revealed an indirect effect of the loneliness on adherence to the MD through the mediation effect of stress. This study suggests poorer adherence to a healthy dietary pattern such as MD may play an influential role in the association between loneliness and health deterioration. [NPID: stress, loneliness, adolescents, dysfunctional lifestyles, Mediterranean diet, MD, Med diet, health deterioration]
Year: 2018
