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Higher Mediterranean diet adherence and lower screen time are associated with reduced perceived stress in adolescents, with Mediterranean diet adherence partially mediating the screen time-stress association.

In a cross-sectional study of 1229 adolescents (mean age 13.45 ± 1.97 years), higher Mediterranean diet adherence (MDA) and lower screen time (ST) were significantly associated with reduced perceived stress. Mediation analysis showed that MDA partially mediated the association between ST and stress, accounting for 10.12% of the total effect (indirect effect = 0.025, 95% CI: 0.005, 0.054).

Last updated: Aug 29, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Lifestyle Factors Associated with Perceived Stress Among Adolescents: The Indirect Role of Mediterranean Diet Adherence in the Screen Time-Stress Association.

observational

Delgado-Floody P, Alvarez C, Hernández-Mosqueira C, Contreras-Diaz G, Del-Cuerpo I, Cresp-Barria M, Hernandez-Martínez J, Valdés-Badilla P, Núñez-Espinosa C, Arriagada-Hernández C, Fuentes-Vilugrón G, Caamaño-Navarrete F · Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: Not specified (cross-sectional)
Intervention: Observational assessment of lifestyle factors (Mediterranean diet adherence, screen time, sleep duration, active commuting, physical activity) without intervention.
Outcome: Perceived stress levels (measured via validated scale, not specified in abstract)
Effect Size: Indirect effect = 0.025 (95% CI: 0.005, 0.054); MDA accounted for 10.12% of total effect
Population: Adolescents (n=1229, 50.04% female, mean age 13.45 ± 1.97 years)

Result:

PubMed: 42651391DOI: 10.3390/healthcare14162621

Mechanism Graph

Higher screen time is associated with increased perceived stress in adolescents.
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Higher Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with reduced perceived stress.
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Screen time may influence dietary quality, leading to lower Mediterranean diet adherence.
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Lower Mediterranean diet adherence partially mediates the link between screen time and stress, contributing to increased stress.

Limitations

  • ⚠Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference; reverse or bidirectional relationships cannot be ruled out.
  • ⚠Findings are based on self-reported measures, which may be subject to recall bias.
  • ⚠Mediation effect is modest (10.12%), suggesting other unmeasured factors play a larger role.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does screen time cause stress in adolescents?▼

This study found a positive association between screen time and perceived stress, but due to the cross-sectional design, causality cannot be established. It is possible that stress leads to more screen time or that other factors are involved.

How does Mediterranean diet adherence relate to stress?▼

Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was significantly associated with lower perceived stress in adolescents, suggesting a potential protective role, though the study cannot confirm causation.

What is the role of Mediterranean diet in the screen time-stress link?▼

Mediterranean diet adherence partially mediated the association between screen time and stress, meaning that part of the effect of screen time on stress may be explained by its association with poorer dietary quality. However, the mediation effect was modest (10.12%).

Are there sex differences in stress and diet adherence?▼

Yes, the study found significant sex differences: females reported higher stress and lower Mediterranean diet adherence compared to males.

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References

  1. 1.Delgado-Floody P, Alvarez C, Hernández-Mosqueira C, Contreras-Diaz G, Del-Cuerpo I, Cresp-Barria M, Hernandez-Martínez J, Valdés-Badilla P, Núñez-Espinosa C, Arriagada-Hernández C, Fuentes-Vilugrón G, Caamaño-Navarrete F. "Lifestyle Factors Associated with Perceived Stress Among Adolescents: The Indirect Role of Mediterranean Diet Adherence in the Screen Time-Stress Association.." Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. PMID: 42651391 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare14162621
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.