Mediterranean diet pattern behaviors and related socio-demographic factors in a sample of nurses: results of an observational study in Italy

Mediterranean diet pattern behaviors and related socio-demographic factors in a sample of nurses: results of an observational study in Italy

Authors

  • David Shaholli Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Francesco De Lucia Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Carolina Ferrante Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Luca Moretti Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Francesca Vezza Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Vanessa India Barletta Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Rosario Andrea Cocchiara Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
  • Giuseppe La Torre Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

Keywords:

Nurses; mediterranean diet; dietary behaviors; nutritional education

Abstract

Background. Interest in the dietary habits of healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, has increased in recent years. Nurses play a key role in promoting healthy habits among patients, yet often struggle to maintain a balanced diet due to the demanding nature of their profession.

Study Design. Cross-sectional.

Methods. The sample identified consisted of working students who attend the master’s degree course in “Nursing and Midwifery Sciences” at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and nurses inscribed in several Italian nurses’ groups on Facebook, like “Infermiere professionista della salute”, “Infermieri attivi”, “Infermieri di Roma e Provincia” and “Infermieri Roma”. A snowball sampling was used. This observational study was carried out from May to September 2020 through an online platform, and explores the dietary habits of 549 nurses, examining correlations between eating behaviors (Mediterranean Diet Score) and work conditions, such as shift patterns, work hours, and contract types.

Results. The Mediterranean Diet Score had a mean value of 7.50 (SD = 1.69). Results show that 90.2% of participants can take short breaks (5-10 minutes) for meals, although stress often affects the quality of these breaks. Nurses with permanent contract (β = 0.098; p = 0.021) and part-time schedules (β = 0.106; p = 0.012) reported healthier eating habits and greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet.

Conclusions. The findings highlight the need for improved access to healthy food during long shifts and the implementation of nutritional education programs to support healthier eating habits among nurses.

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Published

2025-06-09

Issue

Vol. 37 No. 4 (2025)

Section

Original research

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Copyright (c) 2025 David Shaholli, Francesco De Lucia, Carolina Ferrante, Luca Moretti, Francesca Vezza, Vanessa India Barletta, Rosario Andrea Cocchiara, Giuseppe La Torre (Author)

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How to Cite

1.
Shaholli D, De Lucia F, Ferrante C, et al. Mediterranean diet pattern behaviors and related socio-demographic factors in a sample of nurses: results of an observational study in Italy. Ann Ig. 2025;37(4):435-449. doi:10.7416/ai.2025.2709