Is higher adherence to the mediterranean diet associated with greater academic performance in children and adolescents? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective The aim of the present study was to synthesize the available evidence from the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and academic performance in children and adolescents. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted, which adhered to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Four electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) were examined from inception to April 8th, 2024. Results Eighteen studies were included in the current systematic review and sixteen in the meta-analysis. The relationship between adherence to the MedDiet and academic performance among children and adolescents was statistically significant (Pearson's correlation coefficient [r] = 0.17, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14 to 0.21, p < 0.001; inconsistency index [I2] = 56.7%). The influence analysis revealed that removing individual studies one at a time did not result in any changes to the overall results (p < 0.05 in all cases). Conclusions A higher adherence to the MedDiet could play a relevant role in academic performance among children and adolescents.