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Relationship Between Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Health-Related Quality of Life and Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

Evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and health-related quality of life and degree of life satisfaction among older adults.

Design and Setting

Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Participants

A total of 351 people older than 60 years participated in the study.

Measurements

The Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) was calculated to assess the degree of adherence to the MD. MD adherence was related to health-related quality of life using the Short Form Healthy Survey (SF-12) questionnaire, to life satisfaction using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and to sociodemographic, clinical and lifestyle variables. Multiple logistic regression models were used to analyse this relationship.

Results

Mediterranean diet adherence was related to health-related quality of life. Participants with better adherence to the MD were more physically active (p=0.01) and had better health-related quality of life (p<0.05) and lower consumption of alcoholic beverages (p=0.04). The age-adjusted model showed a significant association between the MD and mental function for both sexes and with physical function only for men. The fully adjusted model showed a direct relationship between the MD and life satisfaction of women (p>0.05) but not for that of men (p=0.31).

Conclusions

The adherence to the MD is directly associated with the self-perceived physical and mental function of both sexes and with the life satisfaction of women. Further studies in older adult populations should be performed to obtain conclusive results on the MD effect on health-related quality of life, including wellness indicators.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Psychology. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain

    R. Ferrer-Cascales

  2. Department of Nursing. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain

    A. Zaragoza-Martí, J. A. Hurtado-Sánchez, A. Laguna-Pérez & M. J. Cabañero-Martínez

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  1. A. Zaragoza-Martí
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  2. R. Ferrer-Cascales
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  3. J. A. Hurtado-Sánchez
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  4. A. Laguna-Pérez
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  5. M. J. Cabañero-Martínez
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Correspondence to R. Ferrer-Cascales.

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Zaragoza-Martí, A., Ferrer-Cascales, R., Hurtado-Sánchez, J.A. et al. Relationship Between Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Health-Related Quality of Life and Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults. J Nutr Health Aging 22, 89–96 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-017-0923-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-017-0923-2

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