Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sports and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Greece.
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
Eur J Public Health. 2021 Oct 11;31(4):822-828. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab076.
Over the past decade, the financial crisis has affected harshly the household income of Greek people. This study aimed to investigate whether the effect of the financial crisis on food spending has affected the dietary habits in the family environment.
Under a cross-sectional study conducted during 2014-2016, 1145 children and their parents completed questionnaires examining socio-economic and dietary characteristics. The MedDietScore and the KIDMED Score were used to assess parental and childhood adherence to the Mediterranean diet, respectively.
The parents who reported that the financial crisis has affected food spending used to consume weekly fewer fruits (3.26 ± 0.94 vs. 3.41 ± 0.90, P = 0.016), carbohydrate foods (3.16 ± 0.57 vs. 2.99 ± 0.55, P < 0.001) and legumes (3.28 ± 0.76 vs. 3.14 ± 0.67, P = 0.001) and more nutrient-poor/energy-dense foods (2.55 ± 0.98 vs. 2.20 ± 0.82, P < 0.001) compared with non-affected parents. Their children showed a decreased weekly consumption of vegetables (2.82 ± 0.90 vs. 2.97 ± 0.98, P = 0.019) and increased weekly consumption of nutrient-poor/energy-dense foods (2.38 ± 0.97 vs. 2.19 ± 0.80, P < 0.001). The affected parents had a lower MedDietScore than non-affected parents (25.76 ± 8.10 vs. 27.03 ± 8.11, P = 0.034). No difference was revealed on the KIDMED Score (P = 0.294).
The constrained food spending due to financial crisis has an independent and inverse impact on parent's diet quality while keeping unaffected preadolescent's diet quality. This finding highlights the role of parents as a protective 'wall' against the deterioration of their children's diet quality. The modification on the prices of healthy food and the provision of food aid particularly in economically disadvantaged households is underlined.
在过去的十年中，金融危机严重影响了希腊人民的家庭收入。本研究旨在探讨金融危机对食品支出的影响是否会影响家庭环境中的饮食习惯。
在 2014 年至 2016 年期间进行的横断面研究中，1145 名儿童及其父母完成了调查问卷，调查了社会经济和饮食特征。使用 MedDietScore 和 KIDMED 评分分别评估父母和儿童对地中海饮食的依从性。
报告金融危机影响食品支出的父母每周食用的水果（3.26 ± 0.94 与 3.41 ± 0.90，P = 0.016）、碳水化合物食物（3.16 ± 0.57 与 2.99 ± 0.55，P < 0.001）和豆类（3.28 ± 0.76 与 3.14 ± 0.67，P = 0.001）每周减少，而营养差/能量密集型食物（2.55 ± 0.98 与 2.20 ± 0.82，P < 0.001）每周增加。他们的孩子每周食用的蔬菜（2.82 ± 0.90 与 2.97 ± 0.98，P = 0.019）减少，而营养差/能量密集型食物（2.38 ± 0.97 与 2.19 ± 0.80，P < 0.001）每周增加。受影响的父母的 MedDietScore 低于未受影响的父母（25.76 ± 8.10 与 27.03 ± 8.11，P = 0.034）。KIDMED 评分无差异（P = 0.294）。
由于金融危机导致的食品支出受限，对父母的饮食质量产生了独立和反向的影响，而未受影响的青春期前儿童的饮食质量保持不变。这一发现凸显了父母作为保护儿童饮食质量免受恶化的“保护墙”的作用。强调了在经济困难家庭中修改健康食品价格和提供食品援助的重要性。
