Cakoni Ruden, Moramarco Stefania, Kosiqi Argjend, Andreoli Angela, Buonomo Ersilia
Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of Our Lady of Good Counsel, 1026 Tirana, Albania.
PhD School of Nursing and Public Health, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Children (Basel). 2025 Jan 16;12(1):98. doi: 10.3390/children12010098.
Albania is undergoing a demographic, epidemiological, and nutrition transition leading to an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity among new generations. Comprehensive studies on the nutritional status and dietary patterns of youths in the country are still lacking.
A cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of students (10-18 years) attending secondary schools in rural and semi-urban areas (October-November 2024). Information collected included socio-demographic data, anthropometric measurements (weight, height), and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) (KIDMED). Factors influencing dietary patterns were investigated, with a multivariate logistic regression performed to identify key drivers for poor MD adherence (AOR 95% CI).
In total, 426 children (47.2% females) were interviewed. Over 20% of the sample was overweight or obese, with the prevalence of these diseases decreasing with age regardless of gender. The KIDMED score highlighted suboptimal MD adherence (4.6 ± 2.5 SD), with significant differences between females and males (4.1 ± 2.4 SD vs. 5.1 ± 2.4 SD, < 0.001), especially in rural areas (3.9 ± 2.4 SD vs. 4.9 ± 2.5 SD, = 0.003). Dietary quality tended to decline with age. Female gender was the strongest predictor of poor MD adherence (AOR 2.08 CI: 1.34-3.22; = 0.001).
The MD is a cornerstone for ensuring the Albanian population's long-term health and well-being. This study holds significant public health relevance in a country with high mortality rates due to cardiovascular diseases. Future nutrition interventions focused on the poor MD adherence of new generations should take into consideration geographic, cultural, and social dimensions, including gender equality.
阿尔巴尼亚正在经历人口、流行病学和营养转型，导致新一代超重和肥胖的患病率上升。该国仍缺乏关于青少年营养状况和饮食模式的综合研究。
于2024年10月至11月对农村和半城市地区中学的学生（10 - 18岁）便利样本进行了横断面研究。收集的信息包括社会人口统计学数据、人体测量指标（体重、身高）以及对地中海饮食（MD）的依从性（KIDMED）。对影响饮食模式的因素进行了调查，并进行多因素逻辑回归以确定MD依从性差的关键驱动因素（调整后比值比95%置信区间）。
总共采访了426名儿童（47.2%为女性）。超过20%的样本超重或肥胖，无论性别，这些疾病的患病率均随年龄降低。KIDMED评分显示MD依从性欠佳（4.6 ± 2.5标准差），女性和男性之间存在显著差异（4.1 ± 2.4标准差对5.1 ± 2.4标准差，<0.001），尤其是在农村地区（3.9 ± 2.4标准差对4.9 ± 2.5标准差，=0.003）。饮食质量往往随年龄下降。女性性别是MD依从性差的最强预测因素（调整后比值比2.08，置信区间：1.34 - 3.22；=0.001）。
地中海饮食是确保阿尔巴尼亚人口长期健康和福祉的基石。在一个因心血管疾病死亡率高的国家，本研究具有重大的公共卫生意义。未来针对新一代MD依从性差的营养干预应考虑地理、文化和社会层面，包括性别平等。
