Table 3.
Changes in adherence to the Mediterranean diet after 6 months of intervention.
| CD (n = 43) | MD–HMF (n = 43) |
MD–PA (n = 42) |
p ‡ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adherence to MedDiet | Basal | 7.3 ± 2.6 | 6.9 ± 2.7 | 7.7 ± 2.3 | 0.002 |
| 6 months | 10.9 ± 2.8 | 13.1 ± 2.7 | 11.8 ± 2.8 | ||
| Δ | 3.6 ± 3.0 *a | 6.2 ± 3.5 *a | 4.1 ± 3.0 * | ||
| Energy (kcal/d) | Basal | 2481.2 ± 633.0 | 2311.7 ± 980.1 | 2437.0 ± 697.2 | 0.529 |
| 6 months | 2166.3 ± 676.9 | 1964.8 ± 519.2 | 2126.1 ± 626.6 | ||
| Δ | −314.9 ± 762.8 * | −346.9 ± 947.2 * | −310.9 ± 747.8 * | ||
| Vegetables (g/d) per 1000 kcal | Basal | 144.2 ± 111.5 | 138.4 ± 74.5 | 131.2 ± 82.7 | 0.229 |
| 6 months | 164.1 ± 72.9 | 184.8 ± 88.6 | 184.2 ± 85.7 | ||
| Δ | 19.9 ± 123.4 | 46.5 ± 88.6 * | 53.0 ± 66.5 * | ||
| Fruits (g/d) per 1000 kcal |
Basal | 137.7 ± 75.7 | 110.2 ± 80.9 | 131.7 ± 96.8 | 0.049 |
| 6 months | 158.3 ± 93.6 | 206.0 ± 121.7 | 173.2 ± 109.5 | ||
| Δ | 20.6 ± 93.8 a | 95.8 ± 116.2 *a | 41.5 ± 95.7 * | ||
| Legumes (g/d) per 1000 kcal |
Basal | 9.5 ± 5.7 | 10.2 ± 6.5 | 9.1 ± 5.2 | 0.113 |
| 6 months | 13.2 ± 9.2 | 21.1 ± 16.2 | 15.9 ± 10.4 | ||
| Δ | 3.7 ± 9.5 * | 10.9 ± 16.1 * | 6.8 ± 10.0 * | ||
| Cereal (g/d) per 1000 kcal |
Basal | 64.1 ± 27.7 | 62.0 ± 33.7 | 57.7 ± 31.6 | 0.070 |
| 6 months | 66.5 ± 31.8 | 53.9 ± 53.9 | 62.4 ± 24.0 | ||
| Δ | 2.4 ± 39.9 | −8.1 ± 43.1 | 4.7 ± 37.8 | ||
| Meats and meat products (g/d) per 1000 kcal |
Basal | 81.3 ± 37.6 | 79.2 ± 29.0 | 78.3 ± 34.3 | 0.256 |
| 6 months | 67.0 ± 24.3 | 70.1 ± 32.9 | 69.2 ± 29.7 | ||
| Δ | −14.3 ± 41.8 * | −9.1 ± 28.4 * | −9.1 ± 29.9 | ||
| Olive oil (g/d) per 1000 kcal |
Basal | 12.9 ± 6.2 | 14.7 ± 9.5 | 12.9 ± 6.2 | 0.406 |
| 6 months | 15.9 ± 8.7 | 13.8 ± 7.9 | 14.1 ± 8.4 | ||
| Δ | 3.0 ± 8.5 * | −0.9 ± 10.4 | 1.3 ± 9.2 | ||
| Fish (g/d) per 1000 kcal |
Basal | 41.1 ± 26.4 | 36.6 ± 24.0 | 48.5 ± 29.3 | 0.011 |
| 6 months | 56.7 ± 42.5 | 56.5 ± 27.2 | 70.6 ± 38.3 | ||
| Δ | 15.6 ± 41.1 * | 19.9 ± 32.4 * | 22.1 ± 32.9 * | ||
| Nuts (g/d) per 1000 kcal |
Basal | 5.3 ± 6.3 | 4.6 ± 5.5 | 6.1 ± 7.4 | 0.452 |
| 6 months | 7.8 ± 9.9 | 13.7 ± 13.9 | 12.5 ± 10.2 | ||
| Δ | 2.6 ± 9.9 | 9.1 ± 14.0 * | 6.4 ± 10.3 * | ||
| Sweets and pastries (g/d) per 1000 kcal |
Basal | 10.1 ± 11.2 | 10.9 ± 15.4 | 13.7 ± 14.9 | 0.684 |
| 6 months | 8.1 ± 11.6 | 5.3 ± 7.9 | 5.8 ± 8.9 | ||
| Δ | −2.0 ± 12.2 | −5.6 ± 18.0 * | −8.0 ± 15.5 * | ||
| Soft Drinks (mL/d) per 1000 kcal |
Basal | 14.6 ± 33.5 | 10.7 ± 23.2 | 10.3 ± 36.6 | 0.007 |
| 6 months | 5.6 ± 13.1 | 1.3 ± 2.8 | 0.5 ± 1.8 | ||
| Δ | −9.0 ± 85.1 a,c | −9.4 ± 23.3 *a | −9.8 ± 36.5 c | ||
| Dairy (mL/d) per 1000 kcal |
Basal | 156.7 ± 103.1 | 126.8 ± 63.8 | 136.2 ± 88.1 | 0.286 |
| 6 months | 181.4 ± 115.2 | 203.2 ±128.5 | 176.0 ± 112.2 | ||
| Δ | 24.7 ± 92.0 | 76.4 ± 122.9 * | 39.8 ± 107.0 * | ||
Abbreviations: Adherence to MedDiet: Adherence to Mediterranean Diet; ∆: delta; CD: Conventional Diet; MD–HMF: Mediterranean diet–high meal frequency; MD–PA: Mediterranean Diet–physical activity (control group). Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. ∆: delta * p < 0.05; ‡ Differences between the three intervention groups at 6 months after adjustment for baseline values and age by ANCOVA. Post hoc test by Bonferroni: “a: differences between CD and MD–HMF groups”; “c: differences between CD and MD–PA”.