The Mediterranean Diet in Paediatric Gastrointestinal Disorders

Cenni, Sabrina; Sesenna, Veronica; Boiardi, Giulia; Casertano, Marianna; Nardo, Giovanni Di; Esposito, Susanna; Strisciuglio, Caterina

doi:10.3390/nu15010079

Cited by 7 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…Functional gastrointestinal disorders are very common in adolescents and children and are often associated with functional limitations, decreased quality of life, and increased healthcare costs ( 48 ). Foods can affect gastrointestinal sensitivity, motility and barrier function, as well as the gut microbiota, by modulating atypical mechanisms in the gut ( 49 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nutrients are key elements of life because they can act as both triggers and therapeutics. The majority (93%) of children with functional gastrointestinal disorders identify certain foods as the cause of exacerbating gastrointestinal complaints, such as abdominal pain or diarrhea, and other foods as the cause of improving these symptoms ( 48 ). Healthy eating patterns and the Mediterranean diet, known to help reduce the risk of chronic disease, disability, and premature death, are associated with improved cognitive performance and gastrointestinal health in children and adolescents ( 50 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mediterranean diet is associated with better gastrointestinal health and quality of life, and less nutrient deficiency in children/adolescents with disabilities

Bakırhan,

Özkaya,

Pehlivan

2023

Front. Public Health

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BackgroundChildren and adolescents with disabilities face various nutritional problems. This study aimed to examine dietary characteristics, nutritional status and problems, gastrointestinal health, and quality of life in children and adolescents with disabilities.MethodsThis study included 5–18 years old children and adolescents (n = 1,991) with disabilities. We used the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED), the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) to assess diet characteristics, gastrointestinal problems, and life quality. We collected retrospective 24-h food record to assess energy and nutrient intakes.ResultsThe rate of stunting in children with disabilities varies between 16.5% and 19.8%. When comparing disability types, more children with physical disabilities were underweight (8.8% vs. 6.7%) and stunted (19.8% vs. 16.5%), while more children with intellectual disabilities were tall (7.9% vs. 5.5%) and overweight/obese (21.1 vs. 17.2%; p < 0.05). Wasting (9.3%) and overweight/obesity (23.8%) were more common in children with disabilities aged 5–7 years (p < 0.001). Eating problems such as loss of appetite, food refusal, food neophobia, and food selectivity were more common in children aged 5–7 years, and problems with fast eating and overeating were more common in adolescents aged 13–18 years (p < 0.05). Among children and adolescents with disabilities, the nutrients with inadequate intakes were vitamin E, vitamin B1, folate, potassium, calcium, and iron, while the nutrients with intakes above the requirements were proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins A, B2, B6, B12, and C, phosphorus, zinc, and sodium. Participants with good Mediterranean diet quality had higher energy and nutrient intakes and higher percentages of meeting nutrient requirements (p < 0.05). KIDMED scores were negatively correlated with GSRS total (r = −0.14, p < 0.001) and subcomponent scores (abdominal pain, diarrhea, reflux, indigestion, and constipation; p < 0.05), and significantly and positively correlated with PedsQL total (r = 0.12, p < 0.001). A one-unit increase in the GSRS score resulted in a 14.4 times decrease in the PedsQL score, and a one-unit increase in the KIDMED score resulted in a 10.8 times increase in the PedsQL score (p = 0.001).ConclusionOverweight/obesity, stunting/wasting, nutritional problems, and deficiencies are common among disabled children and adolescents. Mediterranean diet is associated with a better quality of life, and gastrointestinal health in children with disabilities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediterranean diet is associated with better gastrointestinal health and quality of life, and less nutrient deficiency in children/adolescents with disabilities

Bakırhan,

Özkaya,

Pehlivan

2023

Front. Public Health

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“…In addition, another finding of the current study was that a higher adherence to the MD was related to lower pain or discomfort symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown (especially in children and adolescents). Previous studies have depicted that a higher adherence to the MD is related to lesser pain in children and adolescents [ 59 , 60 ]. Although the mechanisms by which a healthy diet may increase the HRQoL are unknown, the intake of some type of foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, and olive oil) typical of the MD could offer benefits against oxidative stress and inflammation [ 61 , 62 ], which have been hypothesized to be pain contributors [ 63 , 64 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Health-Related Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Study including Preschoolers, Children, and Adolescents from Brazil and Spain

et al. 2023

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Scientific literature has suggested positive associations between the Mediterranean diet (MD) and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in young populations. However, to our knowledge, this relationship is unexplored during a situation of social isolation (i.e., lockdown). The objective of the current study is to examine the relationship between the MD and HRQoL during the COVID-19 lockdown among preschoolers, children, and adolescents from Brazil and Spain. This cross-sectional study includes a sample of 1099 three- to seventeen-year-old participants (47.6% girls) who were recruited via social networks. The HRQoL was assessed with the EQ-5D-Y. The Quality Index for Children and Teenagers (KIDMED) questionnaire was applied to evaluate the relationship between the MD and HRQoL. The highest prevalence of reported problems was found for worried, sad, or unhappy participants (39.8%). Furthermore, the lowest proportion of HRQoL problems was observed for “mobility” (2.5%). The proportion of high adherence to the MD was 44.3%. Participants with greater MD adherence reported higher HRQoL mean scores when compared with those who did not adhere to the MD (83.7 ± 0.6 vs. 85.6 ± 0.7, respectively; p < 0.05). Adherence to the MD and especially daily fruit intake were related to higher HRQoL during the COVID-19 lockdown among Brazilian and Spanish young people aged three to seventeen years.

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“…The Mediterranean diet (MD) is considered the most studied dietary pattern, which can exert multiple beneficial effects as a preventive and/or co-treatment factor against several chronic human diseases in all age groups, including pre-school children [ 1 , 2 ]. The main characteristic of the MD is that it includes a plethora of healthy foodstuffs such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals, whole grains, and extra virgin oil, and numerous bioactive compounds, such as ω-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, and polyphenols, which can exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, anti-cancer, anti-neurodegenerative and anti-aging properties [ 3 , 4 , 5 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…* Odds Ratio: OR ** CI: Confidence Interval 1 Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence was assessed by the KIDMED (Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents) questionnaire[55] 2. …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Childhood Mediterranean Diet Adherence Is Associated with Lower Prevalence of Childhood Obesity, Specific Sociodemographic, and Lifestyle Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Pre-School Children

Pavlidou,

Papadopoulou,

Alexatou

et al. 2023

Epidemiologia

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Background: The Mediterranean diet (MD) has been related with a decreased probability of overweight/obesity as well as central obesity at all stages of the human life, decreasing the risk of diverse disease states and improving quality of life. Over the last few years, the prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity and especially abdominal obesity has highly increased worldwide, being associated with a higher likelihood of overweight/obesity as well as central obesity at the next stages of the life during adulthood. The purpose of the present study was to explore the relationship of MD compliance with sociodemographic, anthropometry and lifestyle features in pre-school children aged 2–5 years old. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, which includes 5188 pre-school children from diverse regions of Greece. Relevant questionnaires were applied to evaluate the sociodemographic features of the enrolled children. Anthropometric parameters were measured by relevant techniques. Qualified questionnaires were utilized for assessing several lifestyle factors such as physical activity, quality of life, breastfeeding practices, MD adherence, as well as the prevalence of childhood asthma and diabetes mellitus type I. Results: Of the enrolled children, 41.7% showed low MD compliance and 36.4% of them indicated moderated compliance, while only 21.9% of them showed a high MD adherence. Overweight/obesity was noted in 24.2% of the assigned children, while abdominal obesity was noticed in 18.2% of them. Higher MD compliance was related with an elevated prevalence of sex (boys, p = 0.0005), Greek nationality (p = 0.0088), rural type of residence (p = 0.0099), childhood overweight/obesity (p < 0.0001) and abdominal obesity (p < 0.0001), lower childbirth weight (p < 0.0001), increased physical activity (p = 0.0041), improved quality of life (p = 0.0008), exclusive breastfeeding (p < 0.0001), childhood asthma (p = 0.0001) and diabetes mellitus type 1 (p = 0.0002). Conclusions: A higher MD adherence is associated with specific sociodemographic, better anthropometric, and beneficial lifestyle factors in pre-school children. However, MD compliance remains low or moderate in the vast majority of children aged 2–5 years old. Thus, future public strategies and policies should be performed to inform parents of the potential beneficial effects of MD against obesity and related chronic diseases at the next stage of their children’s lives.

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The Mediterranean Diet in Paediatric Gastrointestinal Disorders

Cited by 7 publications

References 87 publications

Mediterranean diet is associated with better gastrointestinal health and quality of life, and less nutrient deficiency in children/adolescents with disabilities

Mediterranean diet is associated with better gastrointestinal health and quality of life, and less nutrient deficiency in children/adolescents with disabilities

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Health-Related Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Study including Preschoolers, Children, and Adolescents from Brazil and Spain

Childhood Mediterranean Diet Adherence Is Associated with Lower Prevalence of Childhood Obesity, Specific Sociodemographic, and Lifestyle Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Pre-School Children

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