Does health literacy affect attitudes towards healthy eating and health anxiety in young adults?

Abstract

<b>Objective:</b> The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between young people's health literacy, healthy eating attitudes, and health anxiety.<br /> <b>Material and methods:</b> The data of this cross-sectional and descriptive study were collected by face-to-face interviews with students studying in the department of nursing, nutrition and dietetics and health management at the health sciences faculty of a university located in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of 599 students who volunteered to participate in the study. In collecting the data of the study, Individual Descriptive Information Form, Turkish Health Literacy Scale (THLS-32), Attitudes towards Healthy Eating Scale (ASHN), Health Anxiety Inventory (Short Version) (HAI) used.<br /> <b>Results:</b> It was determined that the total mean score of the students on the THLS-32 scale was 33.57±8.41, the mean total score of ASHN was 70.57±10.87, and the mean total score of HAI was 19.67±7.43. There was a positive relationship between students' health literacy and their attitudes towards healthy eating (r=0.258, p=0.000), a negative relationship between health anxiety (r=-0.171, p=0.000) and their attitudes towards healthy eating and health anxiety (r= -0.166, p=0.000).<br /> <b>Conclusion:</b> It is important that this study is the first to examine health literacy, attitudes towards healthy eating, and health anxiety together. It is thought that improving the health literacy and healthy eating attitudes of students who will be health care professionals and reducing their health anxiety will provide significant benefits individually and socially.