Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with better quality of life: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
The Mediterranean diet has positively influenced various medical conditions, but only a paucity of studies has considered the relation between the Mediterranean diet and quality of life (QOL) among people living in North America.



We investigated whether a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet (aMED) was associated with better QOL and decreased pain, stiffness, disability, and depression in a large cohort of North Americans from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.



aMED was evaluated through a validated Mediterranean diet score categorized into quintiles. Outcomes of interest were QOL [assessed with the 12-Item Short-Form Health Outcome Survey (SF-12)]; disability, pain, and stiffness [assessed in both knees with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC)]; and depressive symptoms [assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)].



Of the 4470 participants (2605 women; mean age: 61.3 y), those with a higher aMED had significantly more favorable scores on all outcomes investigated (P < 0.0001 for all comparisons). After adjustment for potential confounders in linear regression analyses, a higher aMED was significantly associated with a higher SF-12 physical composite scale value (β: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.15; P < 0.0001), lower WOMAC scores (except for stiffness), and lower CES-D scores (β: -0.05; 95% CI: -0.09, -0.01; P = 0.01). An adjusted logistic regression analysis, taking as reference those in the 2 highest quintiles of the aMED score, confirmed these findings.



Higher aMED is associated with better QOL and decreased pain, disability, and depressive symptoms. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00080171.
Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Division, and ilmannato@tiscali.it ilmannato@gmail.com.|Institute for Clinical Research and Education in Medicine, Padua, Italy.
Nicola
N
Veronese
Physiotherapy Department, South London and Maudsley National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.|Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.|Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, United Kingdom.
Brendon
B
Stubbs
Aging Branch, Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council, Padua, Italy.
Marianna
M
Noale
Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.|Institute for Clinical Research and Education in Medicine, Padua, Italy.|Padua Local Unit, National Health Care System, Padua, Italy.
Marco
M
Solmi
Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy; and.|Surgical Pathology Unit, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
Claudio
C
Luchini
Aging Branch, Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council, Padua, Italy.
Stefania
S
Maggi
D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009656:North America; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Mediterranean diet; depression; disability; pain; quality of life osteoarthritis initiative
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