Diet profiles in a population sample from Mediterranean southern France

Objective: A Mediterranean diet quality index (MDQI) was devised to give an overall assessment of dietary habits and to identify groups at risk. Design: The MDQI was based on scores given for selected levels of consumption of selected nutrients and foods. Setting: Mediterranean southern France. Subjects: The sample included 473 men and 491 women in three age classes recruited at random. Results: Only 9.5% of men, 9.0% of women, 4.7% of 20-34 year old subjects, 6.6% of 35-54 year old subjects and 14.0% of 55-76 year old subjects were shown to have a healthy diet, However, 10.1% of men, 8.6% of women, 19.4% of 20-34 year old subjects, 10.2% of 35-54 year old subjects and 4.6% of 55-76 year old subjects were shown to have a poor diet. There were significantly fewer smokers among subjects with a good diet but the distribution of moderate wine drinkers was comparable between those with a good diet and those with a poor diet. Correspondence analysis associated a healthy diet with 55-76 year old men and women living in rural areas, who had received primary schooling only and who were manual workers. Both men and women with a poor MDQI score tended to be young and smokers. In addition, women with a poor MDQI tended to be heavy drinkers and obese. Conclusions: This study showed that the Mediterranean model, which is generally recognized as a healthy diet, appears restricted to older people and to rural areas, whereas urbanized young people depart from it. A nutritional prevention policy targeted at young adults is required to encourage them to adhere to the Mediterranean model. Smoking and drinking showed different distribution patterns in the sample under study.