The study was completed with a total of 617 students, and the general characteristics of the individuals are provided in Table 1. The mean age of individuals is 22.14 ± 4.31 years, with 18.5% being male and 81.5% being female. Moreover, 92.7% of them are single. Among the participants, 20.9% of individuals are cigarette smokers, and 11.8% consume alcohol. According to BMI classification, 10.5% of individuals are underweight, 69.5% are normal weight, and 19.9% are Overweight/obese. The mean scores of the individuals’ KIDMED, MEDAS, PFS total scores, and sub-scales of food availability, food presentation, and food tasting, respectively, are 4.17 ± 2.47, 4.98 ± 1.48, 2.97 ± 1.11, 2.81 ± 1.19, 2.95 ± 1.16, and 3.11 ± 1.22. According to the KIDMED classification, 49.3% of individuals have low Adherence, 50.7% have moderate Adherence; according to the MEDAS classification, 86.5% of individuals are in the low adherence group, 11.7% are in the moderate adherence group, and 1.8% are in the high adherence group.
Table 1
General Characteristics of Participants (n: 617)
Sex, n(%) | |
Women | 503 (81.5) |
Men | 114 (18.5) |
marital status, n(%) | |
Single | 572 (92.7) |
Married | 45 (7.3) |
Smoking Status, n(%) | |
Consumption | 129 (20.9) |
No consumption | 488 (79.1) |
Alcohol Consumption Status, n(%) | |
Consumption | 73 (11.8) |
No consumption | 544 (88.2) |
Age (year), X̅±SS | 22.14 ± 4.31 |
Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2), X̅±SS | 22.46 ± 4.27 |
Number of Meals, X̅±SS | 3.18 ± 1.16 |
Body Mass Index (BMI) Groups, n(%) | |
Underweight (< 18.5) | 65 (10.5) |
Normal weight (18.5–24.9) | 429 (69.5) |
Overweight/Obese (≥ 25.0) | 123 (19.9) |
Mediterranean Diet Quality Scale (KIDMED) | |
Total Score, X̅±SS | 4.17 ± 2.47 |
Low adherence, n(%) | 304 (49.3) |
Moderate adherence, n(%) | 313 (50.7) |
Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale (MEDAS) | |
Total Score, X̅±SS | 4.98 ± 1.48 |
low adherence, n(%) | 534 (86.5) |
Moderate adherence, n(%) | 72 (11.7) |
High adherence, n(%) | 11 (1.8) |
Power of Food Scale (PFS) | |
Total Score, X̅±SS | 2.97 ± 1.11 |
Food available, X̅±SS | 2.81 ± 1.19 |
Food present, X̅±SS | 2.95 ± 1.16 |
Food tasted, X̅±SS | 3.11 ± 1.22 |
The total and subscale scores of the PFS for individuals participating in the study, based on their BMI Groups, are presented in Table 2. When comparing the PFS total and subscale mean scores among different BMI groups, there were no statistically significant differences in terms of PFS total, food presentation, and food tasting subscale scores (p > 0.05). However, there was a statistically significant difference in the food availability subscale score (p < 0.05) among the groups. The mean score of the food availability scale of Overweight/Obese individuals (2.99 ± 1.26) was approximately 0.49 points higher than the mean score of Underweight individuals (2.50 ± 1.11) (p = 0.018).
Table 2
PFS scores according to participants’ BMI groups
| BMI groups | |
Underweight X̅ ±SS | Normal weight X̅ ±SS | Overweight/Obese X̅ ±SS | p |
PFS Total | 2.80 ± 1.06 | 2.97 ± 1.11 | 3.07 ± 1.14 | 0.304 |
food available | 2.50 ± 1.11α | 2.80 ± 1.16 | 2.99 ± 1.26 β | 0.025* |
food present | 2.78 ± 1.08 | 2.94 ± 1.16 | 3.11 ± 1.20 | 0.157 |
food tasted | 3.07 ± 1.29 | 3.12 ± 1.22 | 3.10 ± 1.18 | 0.951 |
*p < 0.05, Data were evaluated by One-Way Analysis of Variance.
αβ Values shown with different letters on the same row are statistically different from each other (Tukey HSD test was applied).
There was no statistically significant difference between underweight, normal weight and Overweight/Obese individuals based on BMI classification in terms of adherence to the Mediterranean diet according to KIDMED and MEDAS (p > 0.05) (Table 3).
Table 3
The distribution of participants according to BMI groups for KIDMED and MEDAS groups.
| BMI groups | | |
Underweight n (%) | Normal weight n (%) | Overweight/Obese n (%) | p |
KIDMED | | | | |
Low adherence | 33 (50.8) | 209 (48.7) | 62 (50.4) | 0.917α |
Moderate adherence | 32 (49.2) | 220 (51.3) | 61 (49.6) | |
MEDAS | | | | |
Low adherence | 54 (83.1) | 371 (86.5) | 109 (88.6) | 0.232β |
Moderate adherence | 11 (16.9) | 51 (11.9) | 10 (8.1) | |
High adherence | 0 (0,0) | 7 (1.6) | 4 (3.3) | |
α Pearson’s chi-square test, βFisher’s exact test were applied.
The scores of KIDMED, MEDAS, and the total and subscale scores of PFS based on individuals' sex are provided in Table 4. There was no statistically significant difference between women and men in terms of the mean KIDMED and MEDAS scores, as well as the total and subscale mean scores of PFS (p > 0.05).
Tablo 4. The scores of KIDMED, MEDAS, and PFS according to sex.
| Sex | |
Woman X̅ ±SS | Man X̅ ±SS | p |
KIDMED | 4.22 ± 2.47 | 3.93 ± 2.47 | 0.260 |
MEDAS | 4.98 ± 1.53 | 4.96 ± 1.28 | 0.876 |
PFS total | 2.98 ± 1.13 | 2.90 ± 1.04 | 0.493 |
Food available | 2.83 ± 1.19 | 2.72 ± 1.13 | 0.381 |
Food present | 2.96 ± 1.18 | 2.92 ± 1.08 | 0.756 |
Food tasted | 3.13 ± 1.24 | 3.04 ± 1.12 | 0.479 |
The t-test was applied to independent groups.
PFS total and subscale scores in the Mediterranean diet adherence groups according to KIDMED are given in Table 5. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of the mean total and subscale scores of PFS between the groups with low and moderate adherence to the Mediterranean diet (p > 0.05).
Table 5
The PFS scores according to KIDMED groups
| Mediterranean Diet Quality Scale | |
low adherence X̅ ±SS | moderate adherence X̅ ±SS | p |
PFS total | 2.98 ± 1.13 | 2.96 ± 1.10 | 0.832 |
Food available | 2.80 ± 1.20 | 2.82 ± 1.16 | 0.733 |
Food present | 2.98 ± 1.16 | 2.93 ± 1.17 | 0.651 |
Food tasted | 3.13 ± 1.25 | 3.09 ± 1.19 | 0.673 |
The t-test was applied to independent groups.
The relationship between individuals' KIDMED and MEDAS scores with PFS total and subscale scores is provided in Table 6. There is no statistically significant relationship between individuals' KIDMED scores and PFS total and subscale scores (p > 0.05). There is a low-level statistically significant negative correlation between MEDAS scores and PFS total (r=-0.081, p = 0.045), food available (r=-0.111, p = 0.006), and food present (r=-0.088, p = 0.028) subscale scores. However, there is no statistically significant relationship between MEDAS scores and the subscale score for food tasted (p > 0.05).
Table 6. The relationship between KIDMED and MEDAS scores with PFS scores
| Mediterranean Diet Quality Scale | Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale |
PFS total | r | -0.051 | r | -0.081* |
| p | 0.202 | p | 0.045 |
Food available | r | -0.057 | r | -0.111** |
| p | 0.158 | p | 0.006 |
Food present | r | -0.070 | r | -0.088* |
| p | 0.081 | p | 0.028 |
Food tasted | r | -0.024 | r | -0.038 |
| p | 0.549 | p | 0.340 |
*p < 0.05 **p < 0.01, r: Correlation coefficient, Pearson correlation analysis was applied |