The impact of socioeconomic and environmental determinants on Mediterranean diet adherence: a municipal-level spatial analysis in Athens metropolitan area, Greece

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the geographical variability, the socio-economic and the environmental determinants of adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a general population sample. Level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet was estimated by the ATTICA epidemiological study for 2,749 participants, while socio-economic, demographic, and environmental characteristics were provided by official national and international databases. Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was detected in areas with a greater proportion of females and older people, with lower unemployment rate and immigrant population, as well as, in areas covered at a greater extent by green and with higher frequency of supermarkets and street markets. The present findings provide evidence for policy makers to better understand how layers of influence intersect to shape individuals' eating habits, while they may also contribute in identifying areas of emerging interventions needed.

Keywords: Mediterranean diet; food environment; socio-economic; spatial analysis.