Development of a Mediterranean Diet Recipe Index (MedRI)

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Dietary Pattern Analysis
• Culinary Research

Background:

• The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is globally recognized for its health and environmental benefits.
• Existing indices assess MD adherence and food environments, but not individual recipes.
• A gap exists in evaluating recipe-level concordance with MD principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Mediterranean Diet Recipe Index (MedRI).
• To create a novel scoring tool for quantifying recipe alignment with MD guidelines.
• To assess the reliability and applicability of the MedRI.

Main Methods:

• MedRI conceptualization via literature review and expert panel.
• Index development integrating consumption context and recipe composition.
• Validation through a questionnaire administered to 244 adults in Portugal, using statistical analyses including ICCs and PCA.

Main Results:

• Validation demonstrated strong internal consistency and construct validity for the MedRI.
• The MedRI proved reliable and applicable for assessing recipe alignment with MD principles.
• Statistical analyses confirmed the index's robustness.

Conclusions:

• The MedRI is a reliable and innovative tool for evaluating culinary practices aligned with the MD.
• Potential applications include nutrition education, public health policy, and gastronomic research.
• The MedRI supports the promotion of sustainable and health-promoting dietary models.