Description
TitleDietary intake patterns and Mediterranean diet adherence among Turkish adults
Date Created2014
Other Date2014-05 (degree)
Extentxii, 115 p. : ill.
DescriptionMuch has been written about the Mediterranean Diet (MD), its beneficial health effects, and its many variations. Turkey, located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, has been described as having a MD, however there has been little to no previous research about its MD pattern. This study examined dietary intake patterns, Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence and how MD adherence varied by city location in a geographically diverse sample of adults (aged 19 and older, n=3,001) living in urban centers in Turkey. The study was conducted as a secondary analysis of cross-sectional, nationally representative data collected in 2001-2002. Dietary intake was assessed by a 60 item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The MedDietScore and the Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern Score (MSDPS) were used to evaluate MD adherence. Variations in MD indices were examined using correlation, independent sample t-tests, ANOVA, ANCOVA and logistic regression. The dietary intake pattern was examined using factor analysis. The Turkish adults in this study followed a unique dietary pattern which included some characteristics of the MD but also had differences from the MD pattern. The Turkish dietary pattern identified in this study primarily consisted of bread, fruits and vegetables, yogurt and yogurt-based foods, some red meat, and black tea. Participants reported low consumption of whole grains, legumes, potatoes, olive oil, wine and fish. Factor analysis identified five dietary patterns including Turkish western (ice cream, red meat, desserts, sweetened beverages, nuts and seeds) and Turkish (yogurt, fruits, vegetables; bulgur and red meats – secondary loading). The MD indices varied by city after adjusting for age, gender, education, energy intake, and body mass index. Both MD indices had significant and positive correlations with education levels which is consistent with previous research from other countries. This study makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the Turkish dietary intake patterns and provides evidence that the Turkish dietary pattern is unique. Future research should further examine associations between the Turkish dietary intake patterns and factors such as individual and area level socioeconomic status, urban versus rural differences, and local food environment as well as related health outcomes.
NoteM.S.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Noteby Barbara M. Spalding
Genretheses, ETD graduate
Languageeng
CollectionGraduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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