Mediterranean Diet Puts Children At Less Risk Of Obesity

June 19, 2014: 12:00 AM EST

Children in eight European countries who ate more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and fish – the basic components of the Mediterranean diet – tended to be less overweight or obese than their counterparts who ate a more Western style diet. Parents of the children completed questionnaires and were interviewed by Swedish researchers to determine dietary habits, especially regarding 43 foods. Children were scored by level of intake of foods typical of the Mediterranean diet, as well as for low intakes of foods such as dairy and meats. Children with high adherence to the Mediterranean diet were 10-15 percent less likely to experience major increases in BMI, waist circumference and body fat.

Gianluca Tognon et al., "Children consuming a Mediterranean diet are 15% less likely to be overweight, study finds", News release, study presented at the European Congress on Obesity, June 19, 2014, © Tognon et al.

Domains

HEALTH & WELLNESS
Body
Conditions
Food & Nutrition
Kid's Health
Pre-School/School
Teen
Dieting & Weight Control
Other Food & Nutrition
Obesity

Geographies

Worldwide
EMEA
Europe
Sweden

Mediterranean Diet Puts Children At Less Risk Of Obesity

Domains

Geographies

Categories

See also: