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Background: The present study describes the effectiveness of a complex intervention that addresses multiple lifestyles to promote healthy behaviours in increasing adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD).  METHODS: Cluster-randomised, hybrid clinical trial controlled with two parallel groups. The study was carried out in 26 primary Spanish healthcare centres. People aged 45-75 years who presented at least two of the following criteria were included: smoker, low adherence to the MD or insufficient level of physical activity. The intervention group (IG) had three different levels of action: individual, group, and community, with the aim of acting on the behaviours related to smoking, diet and physical activity at the same time. The individual intervention included personalised recommendations and agreements on the objectives to attain. Group sessions were adapted to the context of each healthcare centre. The community intervention was focused on the social prescription of resources and activities performed in the environment of the community of each healthcare centre. Control group (CG) received brief advice given in the usual visits to the doctor's office. The primary outcome was the change, after 12 months, in the number of participants in each group with good adherence to the MD pattern. Secondary outcomes included the change in the total score of the MD adherence score (MEDAS) and the change in some cardiovascular risk factors., Results: Three thousand sixty-two participants were included (IG = 1,481, CG = 1,581). Low adherence to the MD was present in 1,384 (93.5%) participants, of whom 1,233 initiated the intervention and conducted at least one individual visit with a healthcare professional. A greater increase (13.7%; 95% CI, 9.9-17.5; p < 0.001) was obtained by IG in the number of participants who reached 9 points or more (good adherence) in the MEDAS at the final visit. Moreover, the effect attributable to the intervention obtained a greater increase (0.50 points; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.66; p < 0.001) in IG., Conclusions: A complex intervention modelled and carried out by primary healthcare professionals, within a real clinical healthcare context, achieved a global increase in the adherence to the MD compared to the brief advice., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03136211. Retrospectively registered on 02/05/2017 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03136211., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The relationship between the quality of the diet and the adherence to the Mediterranean diet with the presence of persistent or recurrent depressive symptoms have been described. The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the intake of specific foods in primary care patients aged 45 to 75, having subclinical or major depression. The study also specifically analyzes this relationship in individuals suffering from chronic diseases., Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. 3062 subjects met the inclusion criteria from the EIRA study. Sociodemographic variables, clinical morbidity, depression symptomatology (PHQ-9) and adherence to Mediterranean diet (MEDAS) were collected., Results: Being female, younger, with a higher BMI, consuming more than 1 serving of red meat a day and drinking more than one carbonated or sugary drink daily, not consuming 3 servings of nuts a week and not eating 2 vegetables cooked in olive oil a week are predictors of having higher depressive symptomatology., Conclusions: Assessing the type of diet of patients presenting depressive symptoms and promoting adherence to a healthy diet is important, especially in patients with chronic diseases. However, depression is a very complex issue and the relationship between nutrition and depression must be further examined.

Background: The use of mobile phone apps for improving lifestyles has become generalized in the population, although little is still known about their effectiveness in improving health., Objective: We evaluate the effect of adding an app to standard counseling on increased physical activity (PA) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, 3 months after implementation., Methods: A randomized, multicenter clinical trial was carried out. A total of 833 participants were recruited in six primary care centers in Spain through random sampling: 415 in the app+counseling group and 418 in the counseling only group. Counseling on PA and the Mediterranean diet was given to both groups. The app+counseling participants additionally received training in the use of an app designed to promote PA and the Mediterranean diet over a 3-month period. PA was measured with the 7-day Physical Activity Recall (PAR) questionnaire and an accelerometer; adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener questionnaire., Results: Participants were predominantly female in both the app+counseling (249/415, 60.0%) and counseling only (268/418, 64.1%) groups, with a mean age of 51.4 (SD 12.1) and 52.3 (SD 12.0) years, respectively. Leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) by 7-day PAR increased in the app+counseling (mean 29, 95% CI 5-53 min/week; P=.02) but not in the counseling only group (mean 17.4, 95% CI -18 to 53 min/week; P=.38). No differences in increase of activity were found between the two groups. The accelerometer recorded a decrease in PA after 3 months in both groups: MVPA mean -55.3 (95% CI -75.8 to -34.9) min/week in app+counseling group and mean -30.1 (95% CI -51.8 to -8.4) min/week in counseling only group. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet increased in both groups (8.4% in app+counseling and 10.4% in counseling only group), with an increase in score of 0.42 and 0.53 points, respectively (P<.001), but no difference between groups (P=.86)., Conclusions: Leisure-time MVPA increased more in the app+counseling than counseling only group, although no difference was found when comparing the increase between the two groups. Counseling accompanied by printed materials appears to be effective in improving adherence to the Mediterranean diet, although the app does not increase adherence., Clinicaltrial: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02016014; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02016014 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6mnopADbf)., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None declared., (©Jose I Recio-Rodriguez, Cristina Agudo-Conde, Carlos Martin-Cantera, Mª Natividad González-Viejo, Mª Del Carmen Fernandez-Alonso, Maria Soledad Arietaleanizbeaskoa, Yolanda Schmolling-Guinovart, Jose-Angel Maderuelo-Fernandez, Emiliano Rodriguez-Sanchez, Manuel A Gomez-Marcos, Luis Garcia-Ortiz, EVIDENT Investigators. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 19.12.2016.)

Objective: To evaluate the effects on healthy eating or the Mediterranean diet adherence achieved by interventions suitable for implementation in primary care settings., Methods: Medline (PubMed) and The Cochrane Library bibliographic searches retrieved randomized controlled trials published in English or Spanish, January 1990-January 2013. The inclusion criteria were adult population, >3 months follow-up, and interventions suitable for primary care settings. Exclusion resulted if studies focused exclusively on weight loss or did not analyze food intake (fats, fruits and vegetables--F&V, fiber) or Mediterranean diet adherence. Validity (risk of bias) was independently evaluated by two researchers; discrepancies were reviewed until a consensus was reached., Results: Of the 15 included articles (14 studies), only 3 studies surpassed 12-months follow-up. Ten interventions emphasized healthy nutrition (n = 9948); 4 added activity levels (n = 3816). Six trials included participants with cardiovascular risk; 7 were community-based; 1 focused on women with cancer. Eleven studies showed 9.7% to 59.3% increased F&V intake with counseling interventions, compared to baseline (-13.3% to 27.8% in controls). Seven studies reported significant differences between intervention and control groups., Conclusion: Nutritional counseling moderately improves nutrition, increases intake of fiber, F&V, reduces dietary saturated fats, and increases physical activity. Studies with longer follow-up are needed to determine long-term effects, cardiovascular morbidity, and mortality., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: New technologies could facilitate changes in lifestyle and improve public health. However, no large randomized, controlled studies providing scientific evidence of the benefits of their use have been made. The aims of this study are to develop and validate a smartphone application, and to evaluate the effect of adding this tool to a standardized intervention designed to improve adherence to the Mediterranean diet and to physical activity. An evaluation is also made of the effect of modifying habits upon vascular structure and function, and therefore on arterial aging., Methods/design: A randomized, double-blind, multicenter, parallel group clinical trial will be carried out. A total of 1215 subjects under 70 years of age from the EVIDENT trial will be included. Counseling common to both groups (control and intervention) will be provided on adaptation to the Mediterranean diet and on physical activity. The intervention group moreover will receive training on the use of a smartphone application designed to promote a healthy diet and increased physical activity, and will use the application for three months. The main study endpoints will be the changes in physical activity, assessed by accelerometer and the 7-day Physical Activity Recall (PAR) interview, and adaptation to the Mediterranean diet, as evaluated by an adherence questionnaire and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Evaluation also will be made of vascular structure and function based on central arterial pressure, the radial augmentation index, pulse velocity, the cardio-ankle vascular index, and carotid intima-media thickness., Discussion: Confirmation that the new technologies are useful for promoting healthier lifestyles and that their effects are beneficial in terms of arterial aging will have important clinical implications, and may contribute to generalize their application in favor of improved population health., Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT02016014.