Effects of the mediterranean traditional diet in overweight and obese children after one year of intervention

Introduction: the preventive and therapeutic strategy for obesity offers a poor development in the health care system. There is not enough evidence to determine what diet is the most efficient. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of an intervention based on a Traditional Mediterranean diet.

Methods: the study was conducted in overweight and obese children aged 2 to 14 years through the nutrition education program “Learning to eat”. Anthropometric measurements and Mediterranean diet tests were used. There was neither calorie restriction nor physical activity promotion nor was cognitive-behavioral therapy. Mediterranean diet was promoted throughout the family environment. Priority was given to natural, perishable and seasonal foods.

Results: the study was completed by 98 children; 61.2% showed a normal weight at the end of the intervention. At the end of the study, 73.1% and 82.6% were no longer obese or overweight. The proportion of fat mass decreased 18.66%, lean mass increased properly, and KidMed diet quality index was optimal in 95% after the intervention.

Conclusions: opposed to low-calorie and low glycemic index diets, we propose a diet based on the Mediterranean Traditional Diet and from Primary Care. The observed decrease in Body Mass Index is clinically relevant, with a significant decrease in the proportion of overweight and obesity. The percentage of body fat mass decreased significantly. The Traditional Mediterranean Diet is easy to complete and along with the nutritional education program proposed, we consider it as the main pillar of the study.