ArticleInternational journal of obesity (2005)2014
Adherence to a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern in children from eight European countries. The IDEFICS study.
Article in International journal of obesity (2005), 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
36 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 65 citations in OpenAlex.
- Diet Quality Scores, Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Current obesity reports · 2024Pooled it
- The Diet of Preschool Children in the Mediterranean Countries of the European Union: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2016Pooled it
- A snapshot of country-specific dietary habits and obesity in European children: the Feel4Diabetes study.European journal of pediatrics · 2025Trial
- Mediterranean diet and obesity polygenic risk interaction on adiposity in European children: The IDEFICS/I.Family Study.Pediatric obesity · 2025Article
- Overweight, Obesity, and Lifestyle Behaviors in Immigrants and Native Children in Madrid-ASOMAD Study.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Dietary patterns among European children and their association with adiposity-related outcomes: a multi-country study.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2025Article
- Validity of the MED4CHILD tool for assessing adherence to the Mediterranean diet in preschool children.European journal of pediatrics · 2025Article
- Weight Status Determines the Impact of a School-Based Nutrition Education Intervention on Lifestyle Behaviors in Children.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Diet Quality at 3 Years of Age Relates to Lower Body Mass Index but Not Lower Blood Pressure at 10 Years of Age.Nutrients · 2024Article
- Investigating Eating Habits of Children Aged between 6 Months and 3 Years in the Provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia: Is Our Kids' Diet Sustainable for Their and the Planet's Health?Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Diet and Pediatric Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Mediterranean Countries.Nutrients · 2022Article
- Review Nutritional interventions during adolescence and their possible effects.Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis · 2022Review
- Review
- Diet Quality Scores and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Mexican Children and Adolescents: A Longitudinal Analysis.Nutrients · 2022Article
- Children's and Families' Determinants of Health-Related Behaviors in an Italian Primary School Sample: The "Seven Days for My Health" Project.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Diet quality of Norwegian children at 3 and 7 years: changes, predictors and longitudinal association with weight.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2022Article
- Anthropometric Parameters and Mediterranean Diet Adherence in Preschool Children in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia-Are They Related?Nutrients · 2021Observational
- High adherence to a mediterranean diet at age 4 reduces overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity incidence in children at the age of 8.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2020Article
- Greater adherence to a Mediterranean-like diet is associated with later breast development and menarche in peripubertal girls.Public health nutrition · 2020Article
- Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Related with Physical Fitness and Physical Activity in Schoolchildren Aged 6-13.Nutrients · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
15 authors at 10 institutions in 7 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDespite documented benefits of a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern, there is a lack of knowledge about how children from different European countries compare with each other in relation to the adherence to this pattern. In response to this need, we calculated the Mediterranean diet score (MDS) in 2-9-year-old children from the Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants (IDEFICS) eight-country study. SUBJECTS AND
methodsUsing 24 h dietary recall data obtained during the IDEFICS study (n=7940), an MDS score was calculated based on the age- and sex-specific population median intakes of six food groups (vegetables and legumes, fruit and nuts, cereal grains and potatoes, meat products and dairy products) and the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fats. For fish and seafood, which was consumed by 10% of the population, one point was given to consumers. The percentages of children with high MDS levels (>3) were calculated and stratified by sex, age and by having at least one migrant parent or both native parents. Demographic (sex and age) and socioeconomic characteristics (parental education and income) of children showing high (>3) vs low (⩽3) MDS levels were examined.
resultsThe highest prevalence of children with MDS>3 was found among the Italian pre-school boys (55.9%) and the lowest among the Spanish school-aged girls (26.0%). Higher adherence to a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern was not associated with living in a Mediterranean country or in a highly educated or high-income family, although with some exceptions. Differences in adherence between boys and girls or age groups varied between countries without any general pattern.
conclusionsWith the exception of Italian pre-schoolers, similar adherence levels to a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern have been observed among European children.
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