Aging and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet: Relationship with Cardiometabolic Disorders and Polypharmacy

To investigate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (Med-Diet), cardiometabolic disorders and polypharmacy.

Cross-sectional study.

Geriatrics outpatient clinic, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome.

508 patients (219 male, 289 female) aged 50 to 89 who were evaluated for cardiovascular and metabolic disorders.

Patients underwent a comprehensive medical assessment including medical history and the use of medications. Adherence to Med-Diet was assessed using the validated Med-Diet 14-item questionnaire; for the analysis, patients were divided in high (≥8) and medium-low (<8) adherence. Polypharmacy was defined as taking ≥5 medications.

476 patients completed the study. Mean age was 70.4 years; 58% female. Median Med-Diet score was 8 (interquartile range, 6-9). Patients with medium-low adherence had higher body mass index (p=0.029) and higher prevalence of arterial hypertension (p<0.001), previous coronary (p=0.002) and cerebrovascular events (p=0.011), diabetes, (p<0.001) and dyslipidemia (p=0.001) compared to those at high adherence. Med-Diet score decreased with the number of cardiometabolic disorders (p<0.001). The prevalence of polypharmacy was 39%. Consumption of olive oil (p=0.005), vegetables, (p<0.001), wine (p=0.017), legumes (p=0.028), fish (p=0.046) and nuts (p=0.045) were all inversely associated with the overall number of medications. In a multivariable regression model, medium-low adherence to Med-Diet was independently associated to polypharmacy (O.R.:1.859; 95% CI 1.142 to 3.025; p=0.013), after adjusting for possible confounding factors.

Med-Diet was inversely associated with cardiometabolic disorders and with polypharmacy, suggesting that improved Med-Diet adherence might potentially delay the onset of age-related health deterioration and reduce the need of multiple medications.