An Exploratory Study Examining Mediterranean Diet Perceptions, Eating Practices, and Food Choice of Emerging Adults from Cyprus and the United States
Background. The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is a food pattern that offers numerous potential health benefits. Mediterranean countries, including Cyprus, are experiencing a decline in adherence to the traditional MD while other non-Mediterranean countries, such as the United States (U.S.), are providing...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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World Public Health Nutrition Association
2020-12-01
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| Series: | World Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://worldnutritionjournal.org/index.php/wn/article/view/756 |
| _version_ | 1811332318618451968 |
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| author | Elina Angastinioti Andrea Gossett Zakrajsek Heather L. Hutchins-Wiese |
| author_facet | Elina Angastinioti Andrea Gossett Zakrajsek Heather L. Hutchins-Wiese |
| author_sort | Elina Angastinioti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Background. The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is a food pattern that offers numerous potential health benefits. Mediterranean countries, including Cyprus, are experiencing a decline in adherence to the traditional MD while other non-Mediterranean countries, such as the United States (U.S.), are providing recommendations to increase adherence to the MD.
Objective. The aim of this research was to explore the foods, eating practices, and perception of the MD in emerging adults (18-25 years of age) from a Mediterranean (Cyprus) and non-Mediterranean (U.S.) country to better understand emerging adult adherence and behaviors related to a MD pattern.
Design. An exploratory descriptive study was designed to include focus group interviews to understand perceptions and eating practices as well as dietary assessment using the Mediterranean Diet Score Survey and Harvard Food Frequency Questionnaire for calculation of the alternate Mediterranean Diet Score to determine MD adherence among emerging adults in Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean regions.
Participants/Setting. Twenty-four emerging adults from Cyprus and the U.S. participated.
Analysis. Descriptive approaches for analysis of qualitative and quantitative data were used. A qualitative content analysis was used for focus group interview data that included both inductive and deductive processes. Descriptive statistics were used to describe participant demographic and dietary characteristics.
Results. Themes that emerged from the focus group interviews included perceptions of MD foods, health benefits of a MD, lifestyle cooking and eating practices, and influences on food choice in Cyprus and the U.S. While perception of MD foods and eating practices differed, MD adherence scores and participant identification of health benefits did not differ. Likewise, there were similar influences on food choice among emerging adults from both populations.
Conclusion. These findings suggest that emerging adults may acknowledge health benefits of a MD but can benefit from emphasis on food preparation and other behaviors to promote MD food pattern adherence in both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean countries.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:34:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-828b22079de242c2bb8b7768e46b3542 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-9775 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:34:12Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | World Public Health Nutrition Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | World Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj.art-828b22079de242c2bb8b7768e46b35422022-12-22T02:39:28ZengWorld Public Health Nutrition AssociationWorld Nutrition2041-97752020-12-0111410.26596/wn.202011422-43An Exploratory Study Examining Mediterranean Diet Perceptions, Eating Practices, and Food Choice of Emerging Adults from Cyprus and the United StatesElina Angastinioti0Andrea Gossett Zakrajsek1Heather L. Hutchins-Wiese2Eastern Michigan UniversityEastern Michigan UniversityEastern Michigan University Background. The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is a food pattern that offers numerous potential health benefits. Mediterranean countries, including Cyprus, are experiencing a decline in adherence to the traditional MD while other non-Mediterranean countries, such as the United States (U.S.), are providing recommendations to increase adherence to the MD. Objective. The aim of this research was to explore the foods, eating practices, and perception of the MD in emerging adults (18-25 years of age) from a Mediterranean (Cyprus) and non-Mediterranean (U.S.) country to better understand emerging adult adherence and behaviors related to a MD pattern. Design. An exploratory descriptive study was designed to include focus group interviews to understand perceptions and eating practices as well as dietary assessment using the Mediterranean Diet Score Survey and Harvard Food Frequency Questionnaire for calculation of the alternate Mediterranean Diet Score to determine MD adherence among emerging adults in Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean regions. Participants/Setting. Twenty-four emerging adults from Cyprus and the U.S. participated. Analysis. Descriptive approaches for analysis of qualitative and quantitative data were used. A qualitative content analysis was used for focus group interview data that included both inductive and deductive processes. Descriptive statistics were used to describe participant demographic and dietary characteristics. Results. Themes that emerged from the focus group interviews included perceptions of MD foods, health benefits of a MD, lifestyle cooking and eating practices, and influences on food choice in Cyprus and the U.S. While perception of MD foods and eating practices differed, MD adherence scores and participant identification of health benefits did not differ. Likewise, there were similar influences on food choice among emerging adults from both populations. Conclusion. These findings suggest that emerging adults may acknowledge health benefits of a MD but can benefit from emphasis on food preparation and other behaviors to promote MD food pattern adherence in both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean countries. https://worldnutritionjournal.org/index.php/wn/article/view/756emerging adultseating practicesqualitative researchMediterranean dietperception of dietary behaviors |
| spellingShingle | Elina Angastinioti Andrea Gossett Zakrajsek Heather L. Hutchins-Wiese An Exploratory Study Examining Mediterranean Diet Perceptions, Eating Practices, and Food Choice of Emerging Adults from Cyprus and the United States World Nutrition emerging adults eating practices qualitative research Mediterranean diet perception of dietary behaviors |
| title | An Exploratory Study Examining Mediterranean Diet Perceptions, Eating Practices, and Food Choice of Emerging Adults from Cyprus and the United States |
| title_full | An Exploratory Study Examining Mediterranean Diet Perceptions, Eating Practices, and Food Choice of Emerging Adults from Cyprus and the United States |
| title_fullStr | An Exploratory Study Examining Mediterranean Diet Perceptions, Eating Practices, and Food Choice of Emerging Adults from Cyprus and the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Exploratory Study Examining Mediterranean Diet Perceptions, Eating Practices, and Food Choice of Emerging Adults from Cyprus and the United States |
| title_short | An Exploratory Study Examining Mediterranean Diet Perceptions, Eating Practices, and Food Choice of Emerging Adults from Cyprus and the United States |
| title_sort | exploratory study examining mediterranean diet perceptions eating practices and food choice of emerging adults from cyprus and the united states |
| topic | emerging adults eating practices qualitative research Mediterranean diet perception of dietary behaviors |
| url | https://worldnutritionjournal.org/index.php/wn/article/view/756 |
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