Researchers looked at 15 studies about whether Italian teenagers aged 10-14 are eating the Mediterranean diet—a healthy eating style with lots of vegetables, fish, and olive oil. They found big differences depending on where kids live in Italy. Kids in southern Italy are eating less healthily than those in the north, and kids who exercise more and have more educated parents tend to eat better. The study shows that where you live, your family’s education level, and how active you are all affect what teenagers choose to eat.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether Italian teenagers aged 10-14 are following the Mediterranean diet (eating lots of vegetables, fish, whole grains, and olive oil) and what factors influence their food choices
  • Who participated: This was a review of 15 different studies conducted across Italy. Most studies were done in southern Italy, with fewer in the north and center. The studies looked at thousands of teenagers total, though the exact number varied by study
  • Key finding: Only about 15-28% of teenagers in northern Italy follow the Mediterranean diet well, while in southern Italy it ranges from as low as 18% to as high as 71% depending on the region. Teenagers who exercise regularly, have more educated parents, and maintain a healthy weight are more likely to eat the Mediterranean way
  • What it means for you: If you’re an Italian teenager or parent, this suggests that eating the Mediterranean diet is becoming less common, especially in some regions. The good news is that being active and having family support makes it more likely you’ll eat healthier. This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect—small changes toward more vegetables and less processed food can help

The Research Details

This was a narrative review, which means researchers looked at 15 different studies that had already been done about Mediterranean diet eating habits in Italian teenagers. They read through all these studies and summarized what they found. The studies came from different parts of Italy—one covered the whole country, three were from the north, one from the center, and ten from the south. By combining information from all these studies, the researchers could see patterns about who eats the Mediterranean diet and who doesn’t.

The Mediterranean diet is a specific way of eating that includes lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, fish, and olive oil, with less red meat and processed foods. Researchers measured how well teenagers followed this diet using different scoring systems. They also looked at other factors like weight, exercise habits, family education level, where kids lived (city or countryside), and how much time they spent on screens.

This type of review is useful because it brings together information from many smaller studies to show the bigger picture. However, it’s not as strong as a study where researchers directly test something new—it’s more like a summary of what others have already discovered.

Understanding why teenagers do or don’t eat healthy is important because the eating habits you develop as a teenager often stick with you into adulthood. The Mediterranean diet is known to be very healthy and can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. By figuring out what influences teenagers’ food choices—like whether their parents are educated, how active they are, or where they live—public health experts can create better programs to help kids eat better. This review shows that one-size-fits-all approaches won’t work because different regions of Italy have very different eating patterns.

This review has some strengths and weaknesses. The strength is that it looked at 15 different studies, giving a broad picture of the situation. However, most studies were from southern Italy, so we don’t know as much about what’s happening in the north and center. Also, because this is a review of other people’s studies rather than a new study itself, the quality depends on how good those original studies were. The researchers were honest about what they didn’t know and called for more research in areas that haven’t been studied much. This honesty is a good sign of quality research.

What the Results Show

The biggest finding was that teenagers in different parts of Italy eat very differently. In northern Italy, only 15.8% to 28% of teenagers follow the Mediterranean diet well, while 12% to 37.3% eat poorly. In central Italy, about half the teenagers eat moderately well (47.8%), with 24.5% eating very well and 27.7% eating poorly. In southern Italy, the picture is mixed—some areas show good eating habits, but in the region called Apulia, as many as 71.2% of teenagers eat poorly according to Mediterranean diet standards.

The most important factor connected to eating the Mediterranean diet was weight. Teenagers who maintained a healthy weight were much more likely to follow the Mediterranean diet than those who were overweight. This makes sense because the Mediterranean diet is designed to help maintain healthy weight.

Other factors that made teenagers more likely to eat the Mediterranean diet included exercising regularly, having parents with higher education levels, living in rural areas rather than cities, and having parents with better jobs. These findings suggest that eating habits aren’t just about personal choice—they’re influenced by family background, opportunity to exercise, and where you live.

Several other factors were studied but didn’t show consistent patterns across all the research. These included whether the teenager was a boy or girl, how much sleep they got, how well they did in school, how much time they spent watching screens or on phones, whether they smoked, and their mental health. The fact that these factors weren’t studied consistently means we don’t have clear answers about how they affect eating habits. This is an important gap that future research should address.

This review is the first to specifically look at Mediterranean diet eating in Italian teenagers aged 10-14. Previous research has shown that the Mediterranean diet is healthy for adults and that teenagers in other countries sometimes struggle to follow healthy diets. This review confirms that Italian teenagers also have challenges with the Mediterranean diet, especially in certain regions. The finding that family education and socioeconomic status matter aligns with other research showing that wealthier families with more educated parents tend to have healthier eating habits.

This review has several important limitations. First, most of the studies were done in southern Italy, so we might not have an accurate picture of what’s happening in the north and center. Second, the studies used different methods to measure whether teenagers were following the Mediterranean diet, making it hard to compare results directly. Third, this is a review of other studies, not a new study itself, so the quality of the findings depends on the quality of those original studies. Fourth, the review didn’t include information about some important factors like mental health and screen time because these weren’t studied consistently. Finally, the review is from 2026, so it may not capture the most recent changes in teenage eating habits.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a teenager or parent in Italy, consider these evidence-based suggestions: (1) Increase vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fish in your diet—these are the core of the Mediterranean diet and are proven healthy. Confidence level: High. (2) Reduce processed foods and sugary drinks. Confidence level: High. (3) Try to be physically active most days—the research shows active teenagers eat better. Confidence level: Moderate to High. (4) If you’re a parent, your education about nutrition matters—learning about healthy eating and modeling it yourself helps your teenager. Confidence level: Moderate. These recommendations are based on solid research but aren’t guaranteed to work for everyone.

This research is most relevant for Italian teenagers aged 10-14 and their parents, especially those living in southern Italy where adherence to the Mediterranean diet is lowest. Teachers and school administrators should care because schools can help promote healthy eating. Public health officials should care because this research shows where to focus efforts. However, teenagers and families in northern Italy might find this less directly relevant since eating patterns are already somewhat better there. People outside Italy might find the general principles helpful but should remember that food availability and cultural factors differ by country.

If you start making changes to eat more like the Mediterranean diet, you might notice feeling better and having more energy within 2-4 weeks. Weight changes typically take 8-12 weeks to become noticeable. However, the real benefits—like reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes—develop over months and years of consistent healthy eating. Don’t expect overnight changes; think of this as a long-term lifestyle shift rather than a quick fix.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily servings of vegetables, fruits, fish, and olive oil use. Set a goal like ‘5 servings of vegetables and fruits daily’ and log what you eat. This gives concrete, measurable feedback on Mediterranean diet adherence.
  • Use the app to plan one Mediterranean-style meal per day. Start with breakfast (whole grain toast with olive oil and tomatoes) or dinner (fish with roasted vegetables). Gradually increase to more meals as it becomes routine.
  • Weekly check-in: Review your Mediterranean diet score from the app. Also track physical activity minutes and weight (if appropriate). Look for patterns—do you eat better on days you exercise? Does family support help? Adjust your approach based on what the data shows works for you.

This review summarizes research about Mediterranean diet eating patterns in Italian teenagers and should not be considered medical advice. Individual nutritional needs vary based on age, activity level, health conditions, and other factors. Before making significant changes to your diet or your teenager’s diet, especially if there are health concerns or medical conditions present, consult with a healthcare provider, registered dietitian, or nutritionist. This research identifies patterns and associations but does not prove that following the Mediterranean diet will definitely prevent disease or guarantee weight loss for any individual. The findings are based on studies conducted in Italy and may not apply equally to other populations or countries.