Interplay Between Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, Lipid Profile and Blood Pressure: a Comparative Survey Among Healthcare and Non-Healthcare Female Workers

Interplay Between Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, Lipid Profile and Blood Pressure: a Comparative Survey Among Healthcare and Non-Healthcare Female Workers

The study aims at testing the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet among health-workers, comparing this aspect to the extra-working physical activity, anthropometric measures and prevalence of cardiovascular, metabolic and neoplastic diseases previously diagnosed.

The study had a cross-sectional setting and included employees of both genders currently in service.

Baseline data collection was structured as follows:

• Clinical assessment and pathological history
• Anthropometric measurements;
• Haematochemical examinations;
• Screening to adherence to Med-Diet by using "MedDietScore" questionnaire
• Assessment of the Harvard Cancer Risk Index for the evaluation of risk factors, modifiable and not, of the most frequent oncological diseases in Italy (colon, lung, breast and prostate). The index provides an estimate of individual cancer risk and is not equivalent to a cancer diagnosis. In addition, the Harvard Cancer Risk Index itself can allow the doctor to advise the worker on useful measures to reduce it;
• International Physical Activity Questionnairre (IPAQ)
• Major anthropometric and haematochemical data also allow to obtain one of the most used risk indexes for cardiovascular diseases in the scientific literature the Framingham Score.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women of working age
• Level of education at least equal to Bachelor's degree

Exclusion Criteria:

• Men
• Women under 20 years old or over 65 years old