Tracing the Mediterranean diet through principal components and cluster analyses in the Greek population (original) (raw)

• Original Communication
• Published: 23 October 2003
• C Bamia1 na2,
• P Ferrari2 na2,
• E Riboli2 na2,
• D Trichopoulos1,3 na2 &
• …
• A Trichopoulou1 na1 na2

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 57, pages 1378–1385 (2003)Cite this article

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Abstract

Objective: To identify dietary patterns, and their socio-demographic and lifestyle correlates in a large sample of Greek adults, and assess their adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet.

Design: Principal component (PC) analysis was used to identify dietary patterns among 28 034 participants of the Greek branch of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Dietary information was collected through a validated, semiquantitative, food-frequency questionnaire. The extracted PCs were subsequently regressed on sociodemographic and lifestyle variables. Analyses were also performed to classify individuals with similar dietary behavior into clusters.

Results:Four PCs were identified: PC1 resembled the Mediterranean diet, PC2 approximated a vegetarian diet with emphasis on seed oils, PC3 reflected a preference for sweets, and PC4 reflected a Western diet. PC1 and PC2 were positively associated with age, education, physical activity, and nonsmoking status. Females, in comparison to males, scored higher on PC1 but lower on PC2. Males, younger, more educated individuals, nonsmokers and residents of Greater Athens (Attica) scored higher on PC3. PC4 was associated with younger age, less education, and current smoking. In cluster analyses, cluster A contrasted clusters B and C in having much higher mean PC1- and PC2-scores and substantially lower PC3- and PC4-scores. PC1 and PC4 were, respectively, positively and inversely correlated with an a priori Mediterranean-diet score; PC2 and PC3 were unrelated to it.

Conclusion: The Mediterranean-like PC1-score as well as the vegetarian-like PC2 were higher among older, more educated people, and were associated with a healthier lifestyle than PC4, which reflected a Western-type diet. PC1 was strongly positively associated with an a priori Mediterranean-diet score.

Sponsorship: The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) is coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and supported by the Europe Against Cancer Programme of the European Commission. The Greek segment of the EPIC study is also supported by the Greek Ministry of Health and the Greek Ministry of Education.

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Author notes

1. A Trichopoulou: Guarantor: A Trichopoulou.
2. T Costacou, C Bamia, P Ferrari, E Riboli, D Trichopoulos and A Trichopoulou: Contributors: TC had the primary responsibility for writing the manuscript and performing the statistical analysis. CB and PF participated in the statistical analysis, discussion, and interpretation of results. AT, DT, and ER contributed to the design of the study. All contributors read and commented on the manuscript.

Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
   T Costacou, C Bamia, D Trichopoulos & A Trichopoulou
2. Unit of Nutrition and Cancer, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
   P Ferrari & E Riboli
3. Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
   D Trichopoulos

Authors

1. T Costacou
2. C Bamia
3. P Ferrari
4. E Riboli
5. D Trichopoulos
6. A Trichopoulou

Corresponding author

Correspondence toA Trichopoulou.

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Costacou, T., Bamia, C., Ferrari, P. et al. Tracing the Mediterranean diet through principal components and cluster analyses in the Greek population.Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 1378–1385 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601699

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• Received: 23 September 2002
• Revised: 22 October 2002
• Accepted: 07 November 2002
• Published: 23 October 2003
• Issue date: 01 November 2003
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601699

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