Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42353995›Full record

ArticleChildren (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Physical Activity as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Anxiety Symptoms in Chilean Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Felipe Caamaño-Navarrete, Claudio Hernández-Mosqueira, Guido Contreras-Diaz, Indya Del-Cuerpo, Daniel Jerez-Mayorga, Tomás Herrera-Valenzuela, Eduardo Guzmán-Muñoz, Jordan Hernandez-Martinez, Pablo Valdés-Badilla, Cristian Núñez-Espinosa and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Children (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Felipe Caamaño-NavarretePhysical Education Career, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco 4780000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0002-6884-589X
Claudio Hernández-MosqueiraDepartamento de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad del Bio-Bio, Chillan 3780000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0001-9392-2319
Guido Contreras-DiazEscuela de Kinesiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Rehabilitación y Calidad de Vida, Universidad San Sebastián, Lago Panguipulli 1390, Puerto Montt 5501842, Chile.
Indya Del-CuerpoDepartment of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-2949-7896
Daniel Jerez-MayorgaDepartment of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-6878-8004
Tomás Herrera-ValenzuelaDepartment of Physical Activity, Sports and Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 8370003, Chile.ORCID 0000-0002-5219-5896
Eduardo Guzmán-MuñozSchool of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health, Universidad Santo Tomás, Talca 3460000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0001-7001-9004
Jordan Hernandez-MartinezDepartment of Physical Activity Sciences, Universidad de Los Lagos, Osorno 5290000, Chile.
Pablo Valdés-BadillaDepartment of Physical Activity Sciences, Faculty of Education Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 3460000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0002-3948-8280
Cristian Núñez-EspinosaEscuela de Medicina, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas 6200000, Chile.ORCID 0000-0002-9896-7062
Pedro Delgado-FloodyDepartment of Physical Education, Sport and Recreation, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile.ORCID 0000-0001-9952-993X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdolescent mental health is a global concern, with lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity (PA) playing a crucial role. While the Mediterranean Diet adherence (MDA) is known for its neuroprotective benefits on mental health, the mechanisms by which they are related remain unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was twofold: (1) to examine the associations between MDA, PA, and screen time (ST) with anxiety symptoms, depression, stress, and total psychological distress in Chilean adolescents; and (2) to determine whether PA mediates the relationship between MDA and anxiety symptoms.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 322 Chilean school-aged adolescents 158 males and 164 females (14.98 ± 1.96 years). Mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress) and lifestyle behaviors, including MDA, PA, and ST, were comprehensively assessed using validated self-reported questionnaires.

resultsAfter adjusting for age and sex, multiple linear regression models showed that higher MDA was significantly and inversely associated with anxiety (b = -0.23,

conclusionsThe present study identifies robust inverse associations between MDA and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress in Chilean adolescents. A key finding is the specific pattern of relationships observed: while higher MDA is directly linked to lower levels of depression and stress, its association with anxiety is shared with levels of PA. Despite these findings, the cross-sectional nature of the study limits the establishment of causal relationships, and further longitudinal research is needed to confirm these directional pathways.

Indexed as

adolescentsanxietydepressionmediation analysismediterranean dietmental healthphysical activity

Identifiers

PMID42353995
PMCPMC13298326

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.