PD930 - CHILDREN’S EATING BEHAVIORS IN RELATION TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET ADHERENCE

PD930

CHILDREN’S EATING BEHAVIORS IN RELATION TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET ADHERENCE

K. Blažević^1,2, L. Štrbac^1,2, M. Selak^1,2, L. Štrkalj², E. Kolak Gaurina^1,2, M. Pleština^1,2,*, D. Bučan Nenadić^1,2

¹Nutrition and Dietetics Department, University Hospital Centre Split, Split, ² Croatian Association of Nutritionists, Zagreb, Croatia

Rationale: Children’s eating behaviors are shaped by food availability, appetitive traits, family practices, and socio-demographic factors. Greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) is linked to healthier eating behaviors and may help prevent diet-related health issues. In this study of preschool children from Dalmatia, Croatia, the aim was to assess adherence to the MD and its relationship with food-related behaviors and nutritional status in preschool children.

Methods: A total of 429 preschool children (51.5% boys), aged 4–7 years, were included in the study. Adherence to MD was evaluated with the KIDMED index, completed collaboratively by parents and a dietitian. Anthropometric measurements, including body weight, height, waist circumference, and mid-upper arm circumference, were collected, and age- and sex-specific z-scores were calculated.

Results: From the study population, 16.1% children were overweight and 5.4% were obese, while 12.6% children were underweight. Children were classified into three groups according to adherence to the principles of the MD based on the KIDMED index (≤3, 4–7 and ≥8). Higher KIDMED scores were associated with higher enjoyment of food (p=0.001) and lower food fussiness (p<0.001), slowness in eating (p=0.02) and satiety responsiveness (p=0.02).

Conclusion: The presence of a considerable proportion of overweight and obese children highlights the importance of promoting healthy dietary patterns and shaping adaptive eating behaviours from early childhood. MD, characterised by frequent intake of fruits and vegetables could be of help in maintaining adequate body weight. Higher adherence to MD, was associated with more favorable food-related behaviors, including greater enjoyment of food and lower food fussiness, slowness in eating, and satiety responsiveness, all of which contribute to healthy relationship to food and weight status.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared