Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2025

Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil
Published on: July 29, 2020
Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Health Outcomes in Adolescents: An Umbrella Review
Annalisa Di Nucci1, Marco Silano1, Erica Cardamone1,2
1Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Roma, Italy.
Context:
Proper nutrition represents 1 of the domains of adolescents' well-being. In this context, the Mediterranean diet (MD), as a healthy, traditional, and sustainable dietary pattern, plays a crucial role in promoting adequate growth and preventing chronic noncommunicable diseases.
Objective:
The currently available evidence on the effects of adherence to the MD (AMD) in association with several physical health outcomes in adolescence is summarized in this review.
Data Sources:
Five electronic databases were searched.
Study Selection:
Systematic reviews with or without meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized clinical trials, published in English during 2013-2022, and that assessed the health impact of AMD among adolescents were eligible.
Data Extraction:
Details on study design, methods, population, assessment of dietary patterns, health outcomes, and main results were extracted.
Results:
The search yielded 59 references after removal of duplicates. Applying PICOS criteria, 4 systematic reviews and 3 meta-analyses ultimately were included in this review. The AMD was evaluated in association with overweight/obesity and adiposity in 2 studies, musculoskeletal health in another 2, inflammation in 1 study, and cardiometabolic health in 1 study. The seventh review examined all mentioned health outcomes (overweight and obesity, musculoskeletal health, inflammation, and cardiometabolic health) in relation to AMD.
Conclusions:
Overall, this umbrella review showed limited evidence and a lack of consistency about the relation between AMD and health outcomes of interest in adolescence, indicating the need for more studies to better understand it.
Systemic Review Registration:
PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023428712.
Related Concept Videos
Lifestyle Factors and Health
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity, whether through structured exercise or casual activities like walking, biking, or dancing, is a cornerstone of a...
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Lipids: Dietary Sources and Requirements
Longitudinal Studies
Obesity

