Relationship between Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Body Composition with Physical Fitness Parameters in a Young Active Population

Samuel Manzano-Carrasco, Jose Luis Felipe, Javier Sanchez-Sanchez, Antonio Hernandez-Martin, Ivan Clavel, Leonor Gallardo and Jorge Garcia-Unanue
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Samuel Manzano-Carrasco: Investigación en Gestión de Organizaciones Instalaciones Deportivas Research Group, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, Spain
Jose Luis Felipe: School of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain
Javier Sanchez-Sanchez: School of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain
Antonio Hernandez-Martin: Investigación en Gestión de Organizaciones Instalaciones Deportivas Research Group, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, Spain
Ivan Clavel: Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sports Sciences and Physical Education, University of A Coruña, 15008 A Coruña, Spain
Leonor Gallardo: Investigación en Gestión de Organizaciones Instalaciones Deportivas Research Group, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, Spain
Jorge Garcia-Unanue: Investigación en Gestión de Organizaciones Instalaciones Deportivas Research Group, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 9, 1-10

Abstract: The current study aimed at analyzing the relationship between body composition, adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), and physical fitness (PF) in a young active population. A total of 1198 athletes (boys = 875; girls = 323) enrolled in different municipal sports schools participated in this study. Data on adherence to the MD (KIDMED questionnaire), anthropometric measurements, and PF (20 m shuttle run test, handgrip strength, vertical jump and forced spirometry) were collected. Results show that the pubertal boys had a higher score in the KIDMED test than the prepubertal ones (+0.38, p = 0.28). Moreover, boys with better adherence to the MD had significantly higher results in handgrip strength (+12.20 regarding low MD group and +9.13 regarding medium MD group, p < 0.05), as well as in forced vital capacity (FVC) (+0.66 regarding low MD group and 0.29 regarding medium MD group, p < 0.05). No differences were found in the girls. Finally, the result of the KIDMED test is a variable with a positive and significant relationship with cardiorespiratory fitness, along with the FVC, percentage of fat mass, and performance in the vertical jump ( p < 0.05). It is concluded that adherence to the MD could show a relationship with various PF variables in boys and could be a predictor of cardiorespiratory fitness in both cases.

Keywords: nutrition; physical activity; lifestyle; obesity; adolescents; children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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