TY - JOUR
T1 - The Association of Dietary Habits and Lifestyle Characteristics with Successful Aging among Older Greek Origin Individuals Living in France, Canada, and Greece
T2 - The Epidemiological Mediterranean Islands Study (MEDIS)
AU - Piperidi, Alexandriani
AU - Foscolou, Alexandra
AU - Kouki, Konstantina
AU - Moussikoudi-Hatterer, Ioanna
AU - Papalazarou, Anastasios
AU - Tyrovolas, Stefanos
AU - Polychronopoulos, Evangelos
AU - Sidossis, Labros S.
AU - Panagiotakos, Demosthenes
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article. The authors are particularly grateful to the men and women from all areas that participated in the MEDIS study as well as to study investigators.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - The aim of the present work was to investigate the association of dietary habits and lifestyle characteristics with successful aging among native Greeks and Greeks of Diaspora (Canada and France). During 2005–2019, 2,434 Greek men and women, living in Greece, in France, and in Canada, over 65 years of age were enrolled voluntarily in the study. Anthropometric, clinical and socio-demographic characteristics, dietary habits, and lifestyle parameters were derived through standard procedures, while successful aging was evaluated using the validated Successful Aging Index (SAI, range 0–10). The SAI of the overall sample was 2.8 ± 1.4. Greeks of Diaspora had higher SAI levels compared to their counterparts in Greece (p’s < .001). However, there was no difference between Greeks of Canada and these of France (p > .05). Actually, Greeks of Diaspora had almost 1.9 units higher SAI compared to native Greeks (p < .001). Work and financial status, dietary and lifestyle behaviors (i.e., physical activity, smoking habits), and several clinical characteristics (i.e., history of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia) were statistically different between the three groups (all p’s < .05). Greeks of Diaspora had higher SAI levels, probably because of their healthier lifestyle practices, which mainly depend on their traditions and cultural background of their homelands and living conditions in the host countries.
AB - The aim of the present work was to investigate the association of dietary habits and lifestyle characteristics with successful aging among native Greeks and Greeks of Diaspora (Canada and France). During 2005–2019, 2,434 Greek men and women, living in Greece, in France, and in Canada, over 65 years of age were enrolled voluntarily in the study. Anthropometric, clinical and socio-demographic characteristics, dietary habits, and lifestyle parameters were derived through standard procedures, while successful aging was evaluated using the validated Successful Aging Index (SAI, range 0–10). The SAI of the overall sample was 2.8 ± 1.4. Greeks of Diaspora had higher SAI levels compared to their counterparts in Greece (p’s < .001). However, there was no difference between Greeks of Canada and these of France (p > .05). Actually, Greeks of Diaspora had almost 1.9 units higher SAI compared to native Greeks (p < .001). Work and financial status, dietary and lifestyle behaviors (i.e., physical activity, smoking habits), and several clinical characteristics (i.e., history of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia) were statistically different between the three groups (all p’s < .05). Greeks of Diaspora had higher SAI levels, probably because of their healthier lifestyle practices, which mainly depend on their traditions and cultural background of their homelands and living conditions in the host countries.
KW - Greeks Abroad
KW - Greeks of Diaspora
KW - lifestyle
KW - older people
KW - Successful aging
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85116320425&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03670244.2021.1982708
DO - 10.1080/03670244.2021.1982708
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 34595961
AN - SCOPUS:85116320425
SN - 0367-0244
VL - 61
SP - 201
EP - 214
JO - Ecology of Food and Nutrition
JF - Ecology of Food and Nutrition
IS - 2
ER -