Enhance Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in an Italian Academic Setting: A Workplace Health Promotion Programme

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Workplace health promotion programs are crucial but often limited.
• The Mediterranean Diet (MD) offers potential health benefits.
• Evaluating MD interventions in employee populations is important.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of an MD-based intervention.
• To improve eating habits and anthropometric characteristics in university employees.
• To evaluate changes in diet and health indicators over 4 months.

Main Methods:

• 203 university employees participated in the study.
• MD adherence was measured using the Medi-Lite questionnaire.
• Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, waist circumference) and derived indices (BMI, WHtR) were recorded at baseline and after 4 months.

Main Results:

• Significant increase in MD adherence (p < 0.05) and consumption of vegetables, legumes, and fish.
• No significant changes in body weight or BMI were observed.
• Significant reduction in waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), linked to lower metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk.

Conclusions:

• The nutritional intervention successfully enhanced MD adherence and key food group intake.
• Waist circumference, WHtR, and associated risk factors were significantly reduced.
• MD interventions show promise for improving employee health and reducing health risks.