Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Inflammatory Markers

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Biomarkers of Inflammation
• Public Health

Background:

• The Mediterranean diet is associated with numerous health benefits.
• Inflammation plays a key role in chronic diseases.
• Adherence to dietary patterns may influence inflammatory profiles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and inflammatory markers.
• To assess this association across different age groups (adolescents and adults).
• To examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in relation to age and diet.

Main Methods:

• A random sample of 219 males and 379 females (12-65 years) from the Balearic Islands.
• Anthropometric measurements and blood samples for inflammatory biomarker analysis.
• Dietary habits assessed to calculate adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP).

Main Results:

• Adherence to the Mediterranean diet decreased with increasing age.
• Higher adherence in males was linked to favorable adiponectin and lower leptin, TNF-α, PAI-1, and hs-CRP levels in adults.
• Higher adherence in females was associated with lower leptin (young), PAI-1 (adults), and hs-CRP (all ages).
• Metabolic syndrome prevalence increased with age in both sexes.

Conclusions:

• Low adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with a worse inflammatory marker profile.
• Age-related increases in metabolic syndrome coincide with decreased Mediterranean diet adherence.
• Dietary patterns significantly impact inflammatory status across different age groups.