Adherence to a Mediterranean type of diet in the world: a geographical analysis based on a systematic review of 57 studies with 1,125,560 participants
Evangelia Damigou, Antigoni Faka, Matina Kouvari, Costas A. Anastasiou, Rena I. Kosti, Christos Chalkias, Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos
Abstract
This systematic review aimed to assess the level and time-trends of adherence to Mediterranean-type diets (MTD) among the general population, globally. According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, a comprehensive literature search of the MEDLINE and Scopus databases was carried out, until 04/09/2023, based on specific criteria. Fifty-seven studies with 1,125,560 apparently healthy adults from Europe (n = 37), US (n = 8), Asia (n = 8), Australia (n = 4) and Africa (n = 1) were included. Adherence to an MTD was moderate with a significant decline observed in the last decade. European countries, mainly driven by Mediterranean countries, showed higher adherence than other regions. Geographical analysis revealed that adherence to an MTD is related to both geographic location and socioeconomic status throughout the world.