ArticlePublic health nutrition2021
Adherence to Mediterranean diet is inversely associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods among Spanish children: the SENDO project.
Article in Public health nutrition, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
41 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Mediterranean Diet and Cardiometabolic Biomarkers in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JAMA network open · 2024Pooled it
- Ultra-processed foods and obesity and adiposity parameters among children and adolescents: a systematic review.European journal of nutrition · 2022Pooled it
- Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Adult Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of 207,291 Participants.Nutrients · 2021Pooled it
- A Systematic Review of Worldwide Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods: Findings and Criticisms.Nutrients · 2021Pooled it
- Ultra-Processed Foods Reduction Enhances Clinical Outcomes and Dietary Profiles in Patients With Gingivitis: Results From a Randomised Controlled Trial.Journal of clinical periodontology · 2026Trial
- Mediterranean diet vs. the Australian guide to healthy eating (AGHE) on body composition and glucose metabolism: A randomized controlled trial.Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2025Trial
- The ALINFA Intervention Improves Diet Quality and Nutritional Status in Children 6 to 12 Years Old.Nutrients · 2023Trial
- Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Childhood Allergic Diseases: Increased Risk of Asthma Onset in the SENDO Project.Allergy · 2026Article
- Article
- Review
- The Effect of Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Physical Activity on Fatty Acid Profiles in Young Muslims in Melilla.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Dietary patterns and neuropsychological function in adolescents: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study.BMC medicine · 2026Article
- Article
- Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods and Biochemical Markers Predictive of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Self-Selected Pilot Sample of Muslim Adolescents in Melilla.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Ultra-processed food consumption across early life: implications for pediatric health and disease risk.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- Ultra-Processed Foods Consumption, Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Sociodemographic Correlates in an Italian Adult Population: The UFO Survey.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Unhealthy Ultra-Processed Food, Diet Quality and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Children and Adolescents: The DELICIOUS Project.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Associations Between Mediterranean Diet, Processed Food Consumption, and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: Cross-Sectional Study Among Israeli Adults.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Fifteen Years of NOVA Food-Processing Classification: "Friend or Foe" Among Sustainable Diet Indicators? A Scoping Review.Nutrition reviews · 2025Article
- Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo assess whether higher adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was associated with lower consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and lower free sugar intake.
designCross-sectional analysis of baseline information among participants in the SENDO project, a Spanish paediatric cohort. Dietary information was collected through a semi-quantitative FFQ. Food items were classified according to the NOVA classification. Adherence to the MedDiet was evaluated through the KIDMED index.
settingSpain.
participantsThree hundred eight-six children (52 % boys) with a mean age of 5·3 years old (sd 1·0) were included in the analysis.
results74·4 % of the children had moderate adherence to the MedDiet (mean KIDMED score: 5·9 points; sd 1·7) and overall, 32·2 % of the total energy intake came from UPF. Each two additional points in the KIDMED score was associated with 3·1 % (95 % CI 2·1, 4·0) lower energy intake from UPF. Compared to those with low adherence to the MedDiet, children with medium and high adherence reported 5·0 % (95 % CI 2·2, 7·7) and 8·5 % (95 % CI 5·2, 11·9) lower energy intake from UPF, respectively. We also found that 71·6 % of the variability in free sugar intake was explained by the variability in UPF consumption.
conclusionsAdherence to the traditional MedDiet was inversely associated with energy intake from UPF. Furthermore, most of the variability in free sugar intake was explained by the variability of UPF consumption. Public health strategies are needed to strengthen the adherence to the MedDiet in pre-schoolers while regulating the production, marketing and advertising of UPF.
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