Effects of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet on Depression, Anxiety, and Sleep Quality During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Turkey

Year 2021, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 39 - 44, 15.12.2021

Burcu Ateş Özcan * Burcu Yeşilkaya Hande Öngün Yılmaz Ahmet Murat Günal , Asena Ayça Özdemir

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the adherence levels of adults to the Mediterranean diet (MD) on depression, anxiety, and sleep quality during the COVID-19
pandemic. Participants attempted the questionnaire, Beck Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale (PSQI), and Mediterranean Diet Adherence
Screener (MEDAS). The study was conducted with 1053 individuals who were not diagnosed with COVID-19. Negative significant correlations were found between the MEDAS scores
and PSQI, Anxiety and depression scores (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression models were created using univariate analyses performed separately with variables affecting depression, anxiety, and sleep scores. Accordingly, it was found that a 1-point increase in dietary adherence decreased depression score by 3 units, anxiety score by 3.4 units, and sleep score
by 1.4 units (p < 0.001). Increasing adherence to Mediterranean-type nutrition has been found to be effective in increasing the quality of sleep and reducing depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords

Anxiety, Depression, Sleep, Mediterranean diet, COVID 19

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