Determinants of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Spanish Children and Adolescents: The PASOS Study.

A progressive shift away from traditional healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), has been observed in recent decades. The aim of this study was to assess determinants of optimal adherence to the MedDiet in Spanish children and adolescents. A cross-sectional analysis was included in the PASOS nationwide representative study in Spain. Participants were 3607 children and adolescents; 8-16 years old. Primary and secondary outcome measures of weight and height were measured. Adherence to the MedDiet, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in children and adolescents, as well as parental physical activity and dietary habits, were assessed. Optimal adherence to the MedDiet was observed in 45.5% of primary school students and 34.8% of secondary school students (OR: 0.65; 95%CI: 0.56-0.75). Optimal adherence to the MedDiet was higher in children/adolescents meeting daily recommended moderate and vigorous physical activity (OR: 2.39, 95%CI: 1.97-2.89) and in those meeting daily recommended screen time on weekdays (OR: 2.05, 95%CI: 1.77-2.38) and weekends (OR: 1.76, 95%CI: 1.48-2.10). Participants with optimal adherence to the MedDiet were more likely to have mothers with a high-level education and high-tercile of SDQS, mothers who never smoked or were former smokers, and mothers who met the recommended physical activity and screen time. It can be concluded that a low prevalence of optimal adherence to the MedDiet was found among current Spanish children and adolescents. Optimal adherence to the MedDiet was associated with reaching the recommendations on physical activity and screen time, with the highest maternal educational level, and healthier maternal lifestyles.

Combined Body Mass Index and Waist-to-Height Ratio and Its Association with Lifestyle and Health Factors among Spanish Children: The PASOS Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The World Health Organization recommended simultaneous measurement of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and suggested joint use to predict disease risks. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of BMI and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) categories among Spanish children and adolescents, as well as their associations with several lifestyle factors. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of 8-16-year-old children and adolescents (n = 3772) were included in the PASOS nationwide representative study. Children/adolescents and their mothers/female caregivers answered a questionnaire on lifestyle and health factors. Child/adolescent anthropometrics were measured. Four combined BMI-WHtR disease risk categories were built. RESULTS: A third of participants showed combined BMI-WHtR categories with high disease risk (12.3% 'increased risk', 9.7% 'high risk', 14.3% 'very high risk'). Participants in the 'very high risk' group were less likely to be females (odds ratio 0.63; 95% CI: 0.52-0.76) and adolescents (0.60; 95% CI: 0.49-0.72), to practice ≥60 min/day of moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (0.73; 95% CI: 0.57-0.93), and to watch <120 min/day of total screen time on weekdays (0.61; 95% CI: 0.49-0.76). Mothers of participants in the 'very high risk' group were less likely to have a high educational level, be in the overweight or normal range, have never smoked or were former smokers, and watch <120 min/day of total screen time on weekends. Participants in the 'increased' and 'high risk' categories had mothers with normal weight and ≥60 min/day of MVPA. Participants in the 'high risk' group did not achieve ≥60 min/day of MVPA and showed lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to a healthy lifestyle in children and adolescents, but also in their mothers/female caregivers during offspring's childhood and adolescence, is associated with low BMI-WHtR disease risk.