Aim. Nutritional assessment is essential on a healthy lifestyle when prescribing exercise. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of the diet of a group of perimenopausal women, by means of the Mediterranean diet adherence, enrolled in the pilot project “The Fitness League Against Menopause Costs”, FLAMENCO.
Methods. A total of twenty-seven women, aged from 45 to 60 years old (M = 53.9; SD = 4.4), of the Zaidin Sur primary care center (Granada, Spain) participated voluntarily in this pilot project. A validated questionnaire was used to evaluate the adherence to the Mediterranean diet through a model of Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). This questionnaire consists on 11 items, seven of them scored positively with a greater consumption, measured as portions/months (unrefined cereals, potatoes, fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, and oil) while the other four (wine, red meat and derivatives, poultry and full fat dairy products) positively scored with a lower consumption. The total score ranges from 0 up to 55 points, with higher scores indicating greater adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern.
Results. The mean value of the MDS was 33.8 ± 4.0. Maximum values in adherence through food groups were noted for the consumption of olive oil and vegetables (5.0 ± 0.0 in both items). Alternatively, the lowest values were observed in the consumption of whole grains (2.8 ± 2.4) red meats and derivatives (0.1 ± 0.4), poultry (0.8 ± 1.1) and full fat dairy products (0.9 ± 1.3).
Conclusion. The study showed a moderate adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern, showing deviations from the recommendations, characterized by a low consumption of whole grains, an excessive consumption of meat and derivates, and full fat dairy products. However, the use of olive oil as well as an adequate intake of vegetables remains predominant in this population.
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