The relationship between adherence to the mediterranean diet and sustainable and healthy eating behavior in adults with Type 2 diabetes

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between the level of compliance with the Mediterranean diet and sustainable and healthy nutritional behaviors in adult individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in Kırklareli province between december 2024 and june 2025. It was determined that 50.6% of the participants did not adhere to the diet model according to the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale (MEDAS) score. However, no statistically significant relationship was found between MEDAS and the Sustainable and Healthy Eating Behaviors (SSBD) scale (r = -0.039). According to anthropometric evaluations, the majority of individuals were overweight or obese, and significant relationships were found between BMI and gender, age group, and occupational status (p<0.05). The most positive health habits were observed in the 55–64 age group. In the study, the average MEDAS score was 6.50±2.46, and the average SSBD score was 140.04±27.52. Among the SSBD subdimensions, the highest average was observed in low fat consumption, and the lowest average was observed in local food consumption. No significant effect of sociodemographic variables (gender, age, education, occupation, income, place of residence) was found on MEDAS and SSBD scores. However, the type of individuals living together and the status of regular physical activity affected SSBD scores. As physical activity duration increased, some biochemical values (Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased; in individuals who ate quickly, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and triglyceride (TG) levels were found to rise. In conclusion, the study findings indicate that sustainable and healthy eating behaviors alone are insufficient to predict adherence to the Mediterranean diet. It was concluded that factors such as physical activity, eating habits, and lifestyle also play a role in shaping healthy eating behaviors, not just dietary pattern preferences.