Can Unveiling the Relationship between Nutritional Literacy and Sustainable Eating Behaviors Survive Our Future?

Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to explore the relationship between food and nutrition literacy and sustainable, healthy eating behaviors among young adults. This cross-sectional study took place in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, involving 500 participants (265 females, 235 males) whose average age was 22.6 ± 3.97 years. A questionnaire was administered through face-to-face interviews, covering three sections: (1) general information, (2) the food and nutrition literacy instrument (FNLI), and (3) the sustainable and healthy eating behaviors scale (SHEBS). The females exhibited a higher FNLI score (94.8 ± 10.9) compared with the males (89.9 ± 13.1), with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Statistically significant differences were observed in the mean SHEBS scores for the FNLI behavior sub-dimension among all three categories: inadequate (106.6 ± 32.7), limited (125.5 ± 23.6), and excellent (147.5 ± 28.8) (p < 0.05). The significant correlations of the FNLI score with various factors, including seasonal foods (0.163-unit increase per unit), avoidance of food waste (0.312-unit increase per unit), reduction in meat consumption (0.750-unit increase per unit), and education status (1.399-unit increase per unit) (p < 0.001) was revealed in the study. Based on the findings from this study, we can plan to promote sustainable resource utilization by developing educational materials in the field of nutrition.