Cuschieri Sarah, Libra Massimo
Department Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, MSD2090 Msida, Malta.
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Dec 22;18(1):10. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18010010.
Populations living in Mediterranean islands are experiencing a nutrition transition process from traditional to Westernized dietary patterns. No information on this matter regarding individuals living in Malta have been published to date. The aim of this study was to assess the level of adherence of the Maltese people to the Mediterranean diet and which factors were associated with it.
A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted in the island of Malta between 2014 and 2016. A literature-based Mediterranean diet adherence score was used to assess the level of adherence to the dietary pattern.
Out of 3947 adults, the overall Mediterranean diet adherence score mean was 7.19 (SD 1.91): being female, non-smoker, and having older age was associated with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Less clear pattern of association was found for educational and occupational status, for which medium educational level and a high occupational level were associated with lower adherence to Mediterranean diet. Higher adherence was finally associated with consumption of healthier food groups (more rice and dark bread and less pasta and white bread; more all plant-food groups and fish, less animal-food sources, including fast foods; more light cheeses and yogurt were more frequently consumed among higher adherent individuals in spite of regular ones).
Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in Malta is lower than in those of populations living in companion Mediterranean islands. Given the lack of data on this topic, further studies should be conducted among the Maltese people and public health nutrition interventions should be planned to improve current eating habits toward more traditional dietary patterns.
生活在地中海岛屿的人群正经历从传统饮食模式向西方化饮食模式的营养转型过程。迄今为止，尚未有关于马耳他居民这方面的信息发表。本研究的目的是评估马耳他人对地中海饮食的依从程度以及与之相关的因素。
2014年至2016年在马耳他岛进行了一项全国性横断面研究。采用基于文献的地中海饮食依从性评分来评估对饮食模式的依从程度。
在3947名成年人中，地中海饮食依从性评分的总体平均值为7.19（标准差1.91）：女性、非吸烟者和年龄较大与更高的地中海饮食依从性相关。教育和职业状况的关联模式不太明确，中等教育水平和高职业水平与较低的地中海饮食依从性相关。更高的依从性最终与更健康食物组的消费相关（更多大米和黑面包，更少面食和白面包；更多所有植物性食物组和鱼类，更少动物性食物来源，包括快餐；尽管普通人群也经常食用，但更高依从性个体中更多食用清淡奶酪和酸奶）。
马耳他对地中海饮食的依从性低于生活在其他地中海岛屿的人群。鉴于缺乏关于该主题的数据，应在马耳他人中开展进一步研究，并应规划公共卫生营养干预措施，以改善当前饮食习惯，使其更趋向于传统饮食模式。
