title: Academic performance in relation to adherence to the Mediterranean diet and energy balance behaviors in Greek primary schoolchildren.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore possible links between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MeD), excess body weight, energy balance behaviors, and academic performance in Greek primary schoolchildren.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary schools in Athens, Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 528 students (256 boys and 272 girls), 10-12 years of age, were recruited from 21 primary schools in the area of Athens, Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students completed a specifically designed energy balance behaviors questionnaire together with the KIDMED index, which evaluates the degree of adherence to the MeD. The teacher assessed academic performance through a specifically designed, 5-scale questionnaire. Standard anthropometric measurements were also taken.
  
  
  METHODS
  Block stepwise regression analysis was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adherence to the MeD (β = .140; P = .001), obesity (β = -.095; P = .001), physical activity levels (β = .206; P = .001), hours of sleep (β = .100; P = .003), television viewing (β = -.068; P = .05), and global self-esteem levels (β = .122; P = .001) are significant factors in predicting academic performance in primary schoolchildren.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poor adherence to the MeD, obesity, and low physical activity levels seem to negatively affect academic performance in children. Understanding these interrelationships could facilitate the formation of policies focused on improving children's academic achievement.
authors.affiliation: Human Ecology Laboratory, Department of Home Economics and Ecology, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vassiloudis
authors.affiliation: Human Ecology Laboratory, Department of Home Economics and Ecology, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yiannakouris
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Demosthenes B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Panagiotakos
authors.affiliation: Human Ecology Laboratory, Department of Home Economics and Ecology, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Apostolopoulos
authors.affiliation: Human Ecology Laboratory, Department of Home Economics and Ecology, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: costarv@hua.gr.
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Costarelli
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Mediterranean diet; academic performance; children; energy balance; obesity