title: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower prevalence of obesity among elderly people living in Mediterranean islands: the MEDIS study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present work was to evaluate the relationships between socio-demographic, clinical, lifestyle and psychological characteristics and the presence of obesity, among elderly individuals without known cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 2005-2007, 553 elderly men and 637 elderly women (mean age 74 ± 7 years) from eight Mediterranean Islands in Greece and Cyprus were enrolled. The retrieved information included demographic, bio-clinical and dietary characteristics. The MedDietScore assessed adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of obesity was 27% in males and 41% in females (P <0.001), while 48% of males and 39% of females were overweight. The prevalence of diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension was higher in the obese elderly than in the overweight or normal (P <0.001). After adjusting for various confounders, one unit increase in the MedDietScore was associated with 88% (P =0.07) lower likelihood of being obese; similarly, physical activity was associated with 81% lower likelihood of obesity (P <0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Roughly seven out of 10 of our elderly were overweight or obese, while the majority of them presented other co-morbidities, too. Greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet may reduce the burden of obesity among elderly individuals.
authors: Department of Nutrition Science-Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
authors: Stefanos
authors: S
authors: Tyrovolas
authors: Vassiliki
authors: V
authors: Bountziouka
authors: Natassa
authors: N
authors: Papairakleous
authors: Akis
authors: A
authors: Zeimbekis
authors: Foteini
authors: F
authors: Anastassiou
authors: Efthimios
authors: E
authors: Gotsis
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Metallinos
authors: Evangelos
authors: E
authors: Polychronopoulos
authors: Christos
authors: C
authors: Lionis
authors: Demosthenes
authors: D
authors: Panagiotakos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003535:Cyprus / Q000453:epidemiology; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008521:Mediterranean Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009043:Motor Activity; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors