Sleep Quality and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Male Young Adults: An Exploratory Study Among Amateur Soccer Players, Physically Active Individuals, and Individuals with High Sitting Time.

Amateur soccer players represent a relatively understudied population and often combine training with study or work, facing daily challenges that can impact sleep, diet, and circadian-related behaviors. Since these factors are important for health, recovery, and well-being, this study aimed to examine sleep quality, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and chronotype in amateur soccer players compared with physically active individuals and individuals with high sitting time. The sample comprised 55 male young adults (23.36 ± 3.11 years): amateur soccer players (n = 20), physically active individuals (n = 18), and individuals with high sitting time (n = 17). All participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED), and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). Group comparisons were performed using appropriate parametric or non-parametric tests, and exploratory correlation analyses were used to examine associations among sleep quality, Mediterranean diet adherence, and chronotype. Lower PSQI scores (p < 0.001) were observed in soccer players (3.80 ± 1.32) and physically active individuals (4.17 ± 1.92) than in individuals with high sitting time (6.24 ± 2.05). No significant between-group differences were found in PREDIMED (soccer players = 6.80 ± 2.22; physically active individuals = 7.50 ± 1.89; individuals with high sitting time = 7.29 ± 2.42) and MEQ (soccer players = 51.60 ± 5.90; physically active individuals = 50.89 ± 7.70; individuals with high sitting time = 51.82 ± 11.43). Exploratory correlation analyses, without correction for multiple testing, identified a negative association between MEQ and PSQI in individuals with high sitting time (r = -0.514, p = 0.035). These findings describe group differences in self-reported sleep quality, whereas Mediterranean diet adherence and chronotype appeared similar across groups.