Adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern among workers: a systematic review

Purpose This paper aims to carry out a systematic review based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to assess the adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) in workers. Design/methodology/approach Three electronic databases were searched up to March 2022. The population was restricted to adults, workers in any professional area, without special diets and no specific health conditions. Their adherence to the MDP was assessed by any a priori method/instrument. Two reviewers independently applied the eligibility criteria and performed the data extraction from each study included. In case of disagreement, a third reviewer was consulted. Findings Of the 590 studies found, 46 were included. Most of the studies were carried out in Europe, between the years 2019 and 2022 and were cross-sectional studies. The minimum sample size was 38, and the maximum was 1,74,638 participants. Most studies included both males and females; six included only females and nine only males. The three most prevalent types of workers under study were health professionals, factory workers and firefighters. The most used method for assessing adherence to the MDP was the Mediterranean diet score. Overall, workers showed low or moderate adherence to the MDP. Originality/value This systematic review conducted to assess the adherence to the MDP in workers displays an urgent need to improve diet quality in the workplaces.