The social and psychological health of children is associated with Mediterranean diet adherence items, cardiorespiratory fitness, and lifestyle

Abstract Background: Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence, physical activity (PA) patterns, and physical fitness are associated with physical, social, and psychological health in children. Objective: the purpose of this study was to determine the association of items of MD adherence, fitness components, and lifestyle with psychological and social health in Chilean schoolchildren. Material and methods: this cross-sectional study included 615 schoolchildren, both girls (n = 271, 11.7 ± 1.00 years old) and boys (n = 344, 11.8 ± 1.1 years old). Anthropometric parameters, fitness components, lifestyle, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and self-esteem were measured. Results: HRQoL showed an association with cardiorespiratory fitness (&#946;: 0.12, p < 0.001) and PA (&#946;: 0.32, p = 0.023). Self-esteem was inversely associated with screen time (&#946;: -1.35, p < 0.001). Moreover, social health presented a positive association with PA after school (&#946;: 0.06, p = 0.037). In relation to MD adherence items, HRQoL was linked to the items &#8220;Takes a fruit or fruit juice every day&#8221; (&#946;: 1.93, p = 0.004) and &#8220;Consumes fresh or cooked vegetables > 1 time/day&#8221; (&#946;: 1.12, p = 0.018). Self-esteem was associated to &#8220;Consumes a dairy product > 1 time/day&#8221; (&#946;: 3.30, p = 0.030). Social health was inversely related to &#8220;Eats at a fast food restaurant &#8805; 1 time/week&#8221; (&#946;: -0.26, p = 0.003) and positively to &#8220;Consumes pasta or rice almost every day&#8221; (&#946;: 0.35, p = 0.049). Conclusion: MD adherence items, fitness, and lifestyle were linked to psychological and social health, therefore it is necessary to develop preventive strategies for schoolchildren to change in a positive way these modifiable lifestyle behaviors.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Delgado-Floody,Pedro, Caamaño-Navarrete,Felipe, Bustos-Barahona,Rocío, González-Rivera,Javier, Jerez-Mayorga,Daniel
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Grupo Arán 2021
Online Access:http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0212-16112021000600009
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