COMPONENTS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIETARY PATTERN AND COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected millions of lives globally. Despite the favourable impact of Mediterranean Dietary Pattern on cardiometabolic disorders that predispose themselves to COVID-19 infection, it is important to know the dietary components with potential to improve disease-related outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and its components with the severity of COVID-19 symptoms. METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study with a sample of adults recovered from COVID-19 infection, residents of Funchal and unvaccinated. Data on sociodemographic variables, lifestyle, presence of chronic diseases, and intake of supplements food, self-perceived health status, COVID-19 symptoms and dietary consumption was collected using the Computer Assisted Telephone Interview method. Mediterranean Dietary Pattern adherence was obtained from the MEDAS (Mediterranean Diet Adherence Score) questionnaire. Simple and multiple logistic regression models were used to analyse the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and different metrics. RESULTS: A total of 541 adults were included in the study, 60.0% were female and 53.9% were 40-59 years old. Data show that 15.7% of the participants were asymptomatic for COVID-19 infection and 26.9% had severe symptoms. A strong adherence to Mediterranean Dietary Pattern was found in 14.8% of the participants, and it was significantly higher among the asymptomatic participants than those who reported mild or severe symptoms. A low ingestion of red/ processed meats, fats (butter/cream/margarine), commercial pastry and carbonated/ sugar-sweetened drinks, as well as consumption of poultry more than red meat, was associated with less severe COVID-19 symptoms, after adjustment for sex, age and education level. Participants who reported an adequate consumption of olive oil (OR=0.47; 95% CI: 0.25-0.88) and vegetables (OR=0.57; 95% CI: 0.35-0.94) were less likely to experience any symptoms of disease. Nevertheless, results were not consistent when several items, associated in bivariate analysis and in unadjusted logistic regression models, were taken into consideration. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to Mediterranean Dietary Pattern, in particular adequate consumption of olive oil and vegetables, and limited ingestion of commercial pastry, red/ processed meat, fats and carbonated/ sugar-sweetened drinks, was associated with less severe symptoms of COVID-19 infection.