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Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Its Association with Sustainable Eating Knowledge, Attitudes, Habits, and Cooking Self-Efficacy Among Spanish Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Victoria Lorca-Camara

    (Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), 08018 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Anna Bach-Faig

    (NUTRALiSS, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), 08018 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Maira Bes-Rastrollo

    (CIBERobn, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
    IdiSNa, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
    Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain)

  • Patricia Jurado-Gonzalez

    (NUTRALiSS, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), 08018 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Cristina O’Callaghan-Gordo

    (Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
    CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
    Barcelona InTerdisciplinary Research Group on plAnetary heaLth (BITAL), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, 08053 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Marina Bosque-Prous

    (CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
    Epi4health Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), 08018 Barcelona, Spain
    Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia en Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain)

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examines adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) lifestyle and its association with knowledge, attitudes, habits, and cooking self-efficacy related to healthy and sustainable diets among Spanish adults. Additionally, it explores how sociodemographic and behavioral variables influence adherence to the MD. An online survey was conducted with 380 participants, predominantly women, urban dwellers, and highly educated individuals. The results reveal limited knowledge about food sustainability, with only 58.1% recognizing the MD as a sustainable model. Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that higher adherence to the MD lifestyle was significantly associated with older age. Younger individuals who cooked regularly reported higher cooking self-efficacy, which in turn was associated with living with children and with healthier and more sustainable dietary habits. These dietary habits were also linked to being female, highlighting the interconnected roles of gender, age, and domestic context in shaping attitudes toward healthy and sustainable eating. The findings highlight a strong interrelation among attitudes, habits, and cooking self-efficacy, which together influence MD adherence. These results underscore the importance of designing targeted public health interventions that enhance cooking self-efficacy as a key lever to promote healthier and more sustainable eating habits, particularly among men and individuals who cook infrequently.

Suggested Citation

  • Victoria Lorca-Camara & Anna Bach-Faig & Maira Bes-Rastrollo & Patricia Jurado-Gonzalez & Cristina O’Callaghan-Gordo & Marina Bosque-Prous, 2025. "Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Its Association with Sustainable Eating Knowledge, Attitudes, Habits, and Cooking Self-Efficacy Among Spanish Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-25, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8580-:d:1757408
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kamran Abbasi & Parveen Ali & Virginia Barbour & Thomas Benfield & Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo & Gregory E. Erhabor & Stephen Hancocks & Richard Horton & Laurie Laybourn-Langton & Robert Mash & Peush Sahn, 2024. "Time to treat the climate and nature crisis as one indivisible global health emergency," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(4), pages 491-497, July.
    2. Lucia A. Reisch & Cass R. Sunstein, 2016. "Do Europeans like nudges?," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 11(4), pages 310-325, July.
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