Today’s Mediterranean Diet in Greece: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Survey—HYDRIA (2013–2014)

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate the food and macronutrient intake of the population in Greece and evaluate its adherence to the Greek traditional Mediterranean diet. Methods: Adults over 18 years old (n = 4011) were included from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition survey—HYDRIA. Dietary intake was collected using two 24-h recall interviews and a nonquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Macronutrient intakes were calculated using an updated version of the Greek FCT. Results: Only 28.3% of the adult population had high adherence to the Greek traditional Mediterranean diet, with a higher percentage (39.7%) observed for participants over 65 years compared to those under 65 years (25.5%). Differences in adherence to the MD were observed among the four geographical regions in Greece. Younger adults had a higher intake of meat, cereals, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, and sugar products than older individuals who consumed more vegetables, fruits, legumes, dairy, fish, and lipids (mainly from olive oil). Adults do not meet the international dietary recommendations for the intake of several foods and macronutrients. Conclusions: The adult Greek population, especially younger people, has headed away from the Greek traditional Mediterranean diet. These observations indicate potential detrimental consequences in terms of morbidity and mortality.

Olive oil, Greek Mediterranean diet heritage and honoring the past to secure our future: Priorities for research and education

“…Key elements of the findings provide important insights. Significantly, it was found that the contribution of total fat in adults was higher than the 20–35% of dietary reference intake ranges suggested by EFSA ( 11 ). In both men and women, 42–43% of total energy intake was from fat.…”

“…A higher MUFA percentage of total energy intake was noted for those individuals above 65 years of age at 21.9–21.3 vs. 20.1% for the younger adults surveyed. The high consumption of monounsaturated fats from olive oil was the main contributor of overall fat intake, with median distribution of the usual daily intake from fats and oils being 44 g for men and 32 g for women overall, with olive oil alone representing 34 g and 25 g for men and women, respectively ( 11 ).…”

“…Similarly, older men and women have a higher median intake of fats and oils at 46 and 32 g/day, respectively, mainly from olive oil, than younger age groups. Younger adults eat more meat, cereals and sugar products, along with consuming more non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages ( 11 ).…”

Race and Ethnicity in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): A Narrative Review

“…Some authors associate such discrepancies with the dissemination and increased popularity of the Western-type dietary pattern worldwide [ 51 , 57 ]. A recent report by Martimianaki et al, 2022 [ 58 ], signifies that only 28.3% of the Greek adult population have high adherence to the Greek traditional Mediterranean diet, most of which results from higher adherence (39.7%) by participants of 65 years or older. Younger individuals were more adherent to a Western diet pattern characterized by the consumption of red meat, animal fats, and cheese, with only 25.5% adherence to the Mediterranean diet.…”

Longitudinal Trends, Determinants, and Cardiometabolic Impact of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Greek Adults

“…This shift in dietary habits is the result of the nutritional transition phenomenon, i.e., the gradual abandonment of traditional dietary habits and practices due to urbanization, increasing affluence and the progressive globalization of food supply [ 16 ]. Epidemiological data have shown low rates of and decreasing trends in the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet in typical Mediterranean countries, including Greece [ 17 , 18 , 19 ], Spain [ 20 , 21 , 22 ], Portugal [ 23 , 24 , 25 ] and Italy [ 26 , 27 , 28 ], especially in younger individuals and population groups of low socioeconomic status. A decreasing adherence to the Mediterranean diet is parallel to an increasing adoption of a Western-type dietary pattern, characterized by high intakes of pre-packaged foods, refined grains, processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets and other highly-processed energy-dense foods rich in salt, sugars and saturated fat; indicatively, mean global Western Diet Similarity Index (computed as the proportion of per-capita total calories from animal source foods plus oils and fats from plant sources and sweeteners) has increased from 40.57 ± 17.15 in 1993 to 42.24 ± 16.04 in 2013 [ 29 ].…”