Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower prevalence of obesity among elderly people living in Mediterranean islands: the MEDIS study

Background: The aim of the present work was to evaluate the relationships between sociodemographic, clinical, lifestyle and psychological characteristics and the presence of obesity, among elderly individuals without known cardiovascular disease. Methods: During 2005-2007, 553 elderly men and 637 elderly women (mean age 7497 years) from eight Mediterranean Islands in Greece and Cyprus were enrolled. The retrieved information included demographic, bio-clinical and dietary characteristics. The MedDietScore assessed adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern. Results: The prevalence of obesity was 27% in males and 41% in females (P<0.001), while 48% of males and 39% of females were overweight. The prevalence of diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension was higher in the obese elderly than in the overweight or normal (P<0.001). After adjusting for various confounders, one unit increase in the MedDietScore was associated with 88% (P = 0.07) lower likelihood of being obese; similarly, physical activity was associated with 81% lower likelihood of obesity (P<0.001). Conclusions: Roughly seven out of 10 of our elderly were overweight or obese, while the majority of them presented other co-morbidities, too. Greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet may reduce the burden of obesity among elderly individuals.