Compliance with Dietary Recommendations and Sociodemographic Factors in a Cross-Sectional Study of Natives and Immigrants in Spain

To analyze compliance with dietary recommendations (DR) based on the Mediterranean Diet among natives and immigrants in Spain. A cross-sectional study was carried out using the Platform of Longitudinal Studies of Immigrant Families comparing immigrant workers from Colombia, Ecuador and Morocco with Spanish workers. Adjusted odds ratios (ORa) of sufficient compliance with DR were obtained by sociodemographic variables. We also obtained the adjusted difference in means (DMa) for foods for which there was compliance with DR. Moroccans had greater compliance for meat (ORa = 7.22), eggs (ORa = 5.03) and cured-meats (ORa = 89.78). Ecuadorians for sweets (ORa = 4.03) and Spaniards for natural-juices and dairy-products. Moroccans had the greatest compliance in terms of the number of foods (DMa = 1.53), while Colombians had the least (DMa = - 0.95). Men (DMa = - 0.98), those with primary or incomplete primary education (DMa = - 0.83) and single-parent families (DMa = - 0.58) showed lower compliance. Compliance with DR was low among both Spaniards and immigrants, despite differences in levels of compliance, especially between Moroccans and Colombians.

Automated summary

This study analyzed compliance with dietary recommendations among native and immigrant workers in Spain, finding that Moroccans had higher compliance with meat, eggs, and cured meats, while Colombians had lower compliance. Men, individuals with lower education levels, and single-parent families showed lower compliance with dietary recommendations. Compliance with dietary recommendations was generally low among both Spaniards and immigrants, with significant differences in levels of compliance among different ethnic groups.