Compliance With the Mediterranean Diet and Physical Activity Level of Users of the PAFES (Plan for Physical Activity, Sport and Health) Web Site

• Main Authors: Darío López, Alba Pardo, Gemma Salvador, Angelina González, Blanca Román, Juanjo García, Mariona Violán, Carmen Cabezas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academia Española de Nutrición y Dietética 2014-05-01
• Series: Revista Española de Nutrición Humana y Dietética
• Subjects: Dieta mediterránea; Actividad física; Cumplimiento; Cuestionarios
• Online Access: http://renhyd.org/index.php/renhyd/article/view/58
• ISSN: 2173-1292; 2174-5145

<p><strong>Background:</strong> The Physical Activity Plan Sport and Health web site (www.pafes.cat) allows users to assess the level of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and level of physical activity (PA) by two interactive questionnaires: the MD questionnaire adapted from the study Prevention with Mediterranean Diet (Predimed) and the abbreviated version of the International Physical Activity questionnaire (IPAQ).<br /><br /><strong>Methods: </strong>A descriptive analysis was performed on the results of both questionnaires during the period 2009 to 2010.<br /><br /><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 1376 questionnaires analyzed on adherence to the MD, 12.5% of users have a high compliance, 67.2% moderate, and 20.3% low. Almost all (95.8%) used olive oil as the main added fat, 82.2% and 78.4% reported a low intake of butter and derivatives, and sugary drinks, respectively, and 70.9% referred to an adequate intake of vegetables. On the negative side, 82.3% reported a low intake of legumes, 71.6% a high intake of red meat, 67.6% and 25% lower intake of fruit and nuts, respectively. As regards PA, of the 1221 questionnaires analyzed, 79.4% of the population met the PA health recommendations, 36.5% at a high level, and 42.9% moderate.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Web questionnaires can be a useful tool in the promotion and dissemination of both habits. As a suggestion for improvement, we propose the inclusion of demographic variables to determine the profile of users who completed the questionnaires.</p>