Food neophobia, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and associated factors among pregnant women: a cross-sectional study

Background Food neophobia has been associated with poorer diet quality and lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the general population; however, evidence during pregnancy remains limited. To address this gap, the present study examined the association between food neophobia and Mediterranean diet adherence and identified factors associated with both outcomes among pregnant women. Methods This cross-sectional study included 362 pregnant women attending a tertiary maternal and child health hospital in Istanbul, Türkiye. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS), and the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify factors independently associated with FNS and MEDAS scores. Results The mean age of participants was 30.0 ± 5.4 years, the mean FNS score was 43.3 ± 9.5, and the mean MEDAS score was 6.1 ± 2.1. Overall, 74.3% of participants had low adherence to the Mediterranean diet. No significant association was observed between FNS and MEDAS scores (B = − 0.004, 95% CI: −0.027 to 0.019; P = 0.719). The overall regression model for FNS was not statistically significant ( P = 0.073). In the MEDAS model, employment (B = 0.536, P = 0.037), physical activity (B = 0.474, P = 0.049), and a greater number of daily snacks (B = 0.351, P = 0.009) were positively associated with MEDAS scores. Conclusions No evidence of an association between food neophobia and Mediterranean diet adherence was observed in this sample. Higher MEDAS scores were associated with selected sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Prospective multicenter studies are needed to further examine these relationships during pregnancy.