Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Selected Lifestyle Elements among Young Women with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus from Northeast Poland: A Case-Control COVID-19 Survey

• Main Authors: Monika Grabia, Anna Puścion-Jakubik, Renata Markiewicz-Żukowska, Joanna Bielecka, Anita Mielech, Patryk Nowakowski, Katarzyna Socha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: diabetes mellitus; Mediterranean diet; COVID-19; dietary pattern; metabolic disease; women
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/4/1173

An appropriate balanced diet and dietary patterns are important at every stage of life, but in the case of young patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), it is especially crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to assess health and nutritional behaviors, mainly adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland among women with T1DM, and to compare them with a healthy population. This survey (based on a questionnaire) was conducted in December 2020 and included 219 young women, healthy (<i>n</i> = 106) and with T1DM (<i>n</i> = 113), from northeast Poland. Over 30% of the study group admitted that they did not engage in any physical activity. A large proportion declared that their screen time was 5–7 h a day (48% in control and 40% in T1DM group). High intakes of sweet-beverages, sweets and red meat, but also low intakes of olive oil, fish and nuts were observed. The vast majority of participants (60% vs. 71%) were moderately adherent to the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). The study demonstrated that despite the similarity between the behaviors of healthy people and those with T1DM, negative health and nutritional practices, such as low physical activity, long screen time, medium and high levels of stress and inappropriate eating habits were observed.