Determination of Physical Activity Status and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Adults and Related Health Outcomes

A physically active life with adequate and balanced nutrition is essential for a healthy life. Unhealthy diet and being physically inactive are among the common risk factors that need to be corrected in order to maintain and improve health. In a cohort study of seven countries (USA, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, the former Yugoslavia, Greece, and Japan) based on 25 years of follow-up and examining the relationship between dietary behaviors and mortality due to coronary heart disease, lower cardiovascular mortality rates were observed among participating countries in the Mediterranean region. . This has been attributed to traditional dietary behaviors such as high olive oil consumption in Greece, high fish consumption in Dalmatia (Croatia) and high vegetable consumption in Italy. Preferring vegetable oils instead of animal fats, preferring fish instead of red meat consumption, preferring low-fat/fat-free milk and dairy products, limiting simple sugar and refined carbohydrate intake, fruit rich in fiber and antioxidants in the Mediterranean diet, which is shown as an example of healthy nutrition today. It is thought that this type of nutrition can prevent the formation of chronic diseases due to the features such as increasing vegetable consumption. It is reported that low physical activity levels increase the risk of chronic diseases. Studies have shown that adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower BMI, total fat, and abdominal adiposity. It is also known that a decrease in body total fat rate is observed with physical activity. In addition, BMI values decrease with physical activity. With the changes in lifestyle habits in recent years, societies are moving away from the Mediterranean type of diet and becoming more and more sedentary. For this reason, it is very important to determine the current situation regarding the health outcomes related to the nutritional status and physical activity levels of the individuals, to determine the priority problems that need to be solved, and to raise the awareness of the society on this issue. The aim of this study is to determine the adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity status and related health outcomes of adult individuals who applied to the physical therapy outpatient clinic of a private hospital.