Changes in adherence to the Mediterranean diet observed in a Spanish population during confinement for the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Introduction: home confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic can influence the dietary profiles of the population, suddenly subjected to a stressful factor that implies important modifications in life habits. Among others, a restriction of mobility and a change in the way of carrying out work, going from being face-to-face to non-contact (teleworking). Objective: to know the usual dietary pattern prior to confinement, and to assess the evolution of adherence to the Mediterranean diet weekly until its conclusion. Methods: data were collected using a weekly anonymous online questionnaire that monitored adherence to the Mediterranean diet in real time in an initial sample of 490 adults from Spain. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using the MEDAS (Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener) and modified PREDIMED questionnaires. Results: confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the eating habits of the participants, so that adherence to the Mediterranean diet increased at the end of the confinement period, which is of special interest, since it was based on a good initial adherence (MEDAS adherence: 10.03 ± 1.9 initial and 10.47 ± 2.1 final; p = 0.016; modified PREDIMED adherence: 9.26 ± 2.0 initial and 9.89 ± 2.1 final; p < 0.001), without observing clinically relevant changes in body composition as measured by body mass index (BMI) except in women (23.3 kg/m2 ± 2.9 initial and 23.4 kg/m2 ± 2.9 final; p < 0.001), with a slight increase in this parameter, but maintaining on average the healthy values recommended by the guidelines. Conclusions: in the studied population we observed an improvement in adherence to the Mediterranean diet without observing clinically relevant changes in BMI.