Compliance with Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) and nutrition knowledge levels in adolescents. A case study from Turkey

Adopting an eating pattern complying with the Mediterranean diet not only decreases body fat mass and obesity risk, but also reduces development of various health problems. This study investigated the nutritional awareness and diet quality Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) of Turkish adolescents. The study was conducted with 890 voluntary participants (464 boys and 426 girls) aged 10-14 years. A questionnaire form was used to learn demographic characteristics of the participants. Participants' nutritional awareness was determined through a 20-item knowledge form and their nutritional habits through a 16-item Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED). The average nutritional knowledge score was X = 82.22 +/- 0.42. Results indicated that 17.9% of the participants had a low quality diet (<= 3 points), 59.2% had a mid-quality/needs-improvement diet (4-7 points) and 22.9% had an optimal quality diet (>= 8 points). The study results showed that the subjects' diet quality was low and that their nutrition knowledge levels were related to their nutritional habits. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.