Evoked Brain Activity in Food Preference Decisions: Links to Eating Behavior and General Nutritional Knowledge

Optimal dietary intake enhances athletic performance. Higher general nutrition knowledge (GNK) may promote advantageous dietary behaviour facilitating peak performance. No published studies describe GNK in elite Australian athletes. PURPOSE: To investigate and benchmark the level of GNK in elite Australian athletes (EA) against a similar aged community (CM) and criterion sample with dietetic training (DT). METHODS: EA (n=175), CM (n=116) and DT (n=53) respondents completed the validated 113 item General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ) which assesses four domains of GNK (A: dietary guidelines; B: sources of nutrients; C: choosing everyday foods; D: diet-disease relationships). Age, gender and level of education were collected in all groups; athletic calibre and sport type (team or individual) in EA. A panel of 20 dieticians and nutrition scientists re-examined the GNKQ for content validity resulting in instrument revision (R-GNKQ; 96 items). Internal Reliability (internal consistency: Cronbach alpha n = 28; test-re-test: Spearman rank correlation n = 344) was also performed. Data: Mean ± SD. RESULTS: EA were younger (18.9 ± 4.9) than CM (21.9 ± 4.2) (p<0.001) with both younger than DT (p<0.001). DT scored higher than EA and CM in all instrument subsections and at least 25% higher on total score (p<0.001). EA scored lower than CM for overall nutrition knowledge (p<0.001) and on section B (p<0.001) on GNKQ and overall knowledge (p<0.001) and sections B (p<0.001), C (p<0.001) and D (p<0.007) on R-GNKQ. Overall score was influenced by age (p=0.036 GNKQ: p=0.053 R-GNKQ), gender (p=0.016 GNKQ: p=0.003 R-GNKQ) and athletic calibre (p=0.029 R-GNKQ) but not education level, living situation or ethnicity. After age and gender adjustment, score differences between EA and CM were no longer significant. Same age, EA and CM overall knowledge score in males was 3.5% (GNKQ) and 5% (R-GNKQ) below females. There was an approximate 0.5% increase for each gender adjusted year of age (GNKQ and R-GNKQ). EA and CM performed best on section A and worst on D. CONCLUSION: EA had significantly lower overall GNK scores than CM but not when adjusted for age and gender. Lower GNK in younger, male participants suggests targeted dietary education may be specifically required for this group. Supported by Australian Sports Commission grant.

There is a noticeable absence of health education among college students. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of general nutrition knowledge among Chinese university students and explore its association with eating attitudes. Data were collected from a group of 273 students in Spring of 2023, using a valid and reliable research instrument consisting of three sections: demographic variables, the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ), and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). The results were analyzed using SPSS, with correlations and t-tests to examine the relationships between nutritional knowledge and dietary attitudes. Furthermore, the present study employed the random forest (RF) algorithm, a machine learning technique, utilizing the Mean Decrease Impurity (MDI) method to investigate the influence of various features on participants' eating attitudes. The findings revealed that Chinese university students had an average accuracy of over 60% in their nutritional knowledge, but their understanding of the relationship between diet and disease still needs improvement. Moreover, male students had significantly lower nutritional knowledge than female students, and there was a positive correlation between nutritional knowledge and parents' income. The study also found a significant correlation between the level of nutritional knowledge and eating attitudes. RF results indicated that the family income level exhibited the most substantial impact on the eating attitudes of the participants. The study highlights the need for nutrition education curriculum developers to focus more on improving students' nutritional knowledge, with particular attention given to male students, low-income individuals, and those with an abnormal BMI.

AimTo describe the level of nutrition knowledge in students undertaking an accredited nutrition and dietetics (ND) undergraduate program in reference to students enrolled in non‐accredited nutrition (NUT) or occupational therapy (OT) programs. The secondary aim was to investigate the variation in nutrition knowledge of ND students.MethodsStudents enrolled in ND, NUT or OT undergraduate programs at an Australian university were invited to participate in an online survey in August 2013. Nutrition knowledge levels were measured using the validated Re‐examined General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (R‐GNKQ). Socio‐demographic characteristics and sources of nutrition information were also collected.ResultsStudents in the first year of ND or NUT programs had significantly higher overall scores than the OT students (P = 0.046 and P = 0.005, respectively). Substantially greater overall scores were observed for the students in the second year of the ND program than those in the first year (P = 0.01). The highest level of nutrition knowledge was observed in third year ND students. Overall score for ND students was influenced by year level and previous education, but there were no differences detected for gender, age, living situation or ethnicity.ConclusionsND students entered the program with high nutrition knowledge levels. The dietetic program appeared to develop the general nutrition knowledge of students to a level comparable to practising dietitians. Research investigating underlying knowledge development is necessary to direct dietetic curriculum design and delivery.

PurposeThis study aims to investigate whether nutrition knowledge impacts on the credibility and purchase behaviour of foodstuffs that make health claims.Design/methodology/approachThe UCD Food and Health Survey is a monthly online survey, which began in November 2008. In March 2009, participants were asked a series of questions pertaining to nutrition and health claims and 665 completed questionnaires were included for analysis. Participants' level of nutrition knowledge was measured using a combined and modified version of Parmenter and Wardle's General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (1999) and that of Hawkes and Nowak (1998). Perceived credibility was gauged using a semantic differential scale and the questionnaire was designed to also assess participants' purchasing behaviour of functional foods.FindingsFemales scored significantly higher than males for nutrition knowledge (p=0.004) but there was no significant difference in nutrition knowledge between age groups. “Reduces feelings of hunger” was deemed the most credible claim. With the exception of “This yogurt drink will strengthen your bones and teeth”, there was no difference in credibility between high and low nutrition knowledge groups. Health claims were more credible to participants when found on yogurt and breakfast cereal when compared with pasta and chocolate. Products claiming to reduce cholesterol were purchased more in the previous month than any of the other products and the same product was purchased statistically more often by those participants in the older age group.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of this study was that the panel were younger and more formally educated than the general public. They were also more likely to be female. The gender bias may be because the survey was food and health‐based and therefore may not have appealed to men as a more generally themed survey might have done. The results of this study should be considered therefore with this limitation in mind.Practical implicationsPeople do not consider products with health claims to be a uniform category of foodstuffs and participants' level of nutrition knowledge does not have a significant impact on their behaviour towards products carrying health claims.Originality/valueKnowledge of nutrition does not impact on people's reactions to products with health claims and different foods demonstrate different levels of credibility as carriers for health claims.

Evaluation of General Nutrition Knowledge in Australian Military Personnel

Nutritional knowledge includes knowing nutritional processes, major nutritional sources of foods, the relationship of diet to health and disease, and dietary recommendations. This study aimed to determine teachers' basic nutrition and nutrition-health knowledge levels, who are important opinion leaders in society, and to evaluate their food preferences. The research, a cross-sectional study, was carried out in a district in 2022. 280 teachers were included in the research. The survey form consists of 14 questions about sociodemographic information and nutritional preferences; and 32 questions on the “Nutrition Knowledge Level Scale for Adults” (NKLSA). The t-test in independent groups, Pearson Correlation and the Chi-Square test were used for statistical analysis. More than half of the teachers had a medium level of basic nutritional knowledge, nearly half had a good level of food preferences and a 52% correlation between their knowledge levels. The frequency of those with poor basic nutritional knowledge is significantly higher in men than in women. When the teachers' body mass indexes, daily water consumption, breakfast habits, number of daily meals, and skipping meals were evaluated according to information about nutrition, no significant difference was found in basic nutritional knowledge scores and food preference scores. It should be ensured that teachers have access to the right information sources about nutrition, and awareness activities should be carried out for nutrition, including students, to obtain accurate information about nutritional information and food preferences.

Giriş: Dünyada ve ülkemizde önemli bir sağlık sorunu olan obezitenin oluşumuna pek çok faktör katkıda bulunmaktadır. Sunulan çalışma beslenme bilgi düzeyinin üniversite öğrencilerindeki obezite üzerindeki etkisini araştırmak amacıyla yapılmıştır. Yöntem: Çalışma 252 üniversite öğrencisi ile yürütülmüştür. Antropometrik ölçümler (vücut ağırlığı, boy uzunluğu, bel, kalça çevresi) yapılmış ve beden kütle indeksi (BKİ) ve bel/kalça oranı (BKO) hesaplanmıştır. Vücut yağ analizi için biyoelektirik impedans yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Yetişkinler İçin Beslenme Bilgi Düzeyi Ölçeği (YETBİD) kullanılarak öğrencilerin beslenme bilgi düzeyleri değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Kadınların vücut yağ oranı daha yüksektir (p&amp;lt;0,001). Erkeklerin %39,7’sinin kadın öğrencilerin ise 14,3’ünün şişman olduğu gözlenmiştir (p&amp;lt;0,001). Bel çevresi ölçümü ve BKO’ya göre cinsiyetler arasında anlamlı fark yoktur (p&amp;gt;0,001). Sigara ve alkol tüketimi erkeklerde daha fazladır (p&amp;lt;0,05). Kadınların temel beslenme ve besin tercihi bilgi düzeyleri erkeklerden daha yüksektir (p&amp;lt;0,05). Kadın ve erkek öğrencilerin BKİ, bel çevresi ölçümleri, vücut yağı oranı ve BKO’ları ile beslenme bilgi düzeyi ve besin tercihleri arasında anlamlı bir ilişki yoktur (p&amp;gt;0,05). Sonuç: Kadın öğrencilerin beslenme bilgi düzeyleri daha iyi olmasına karşın, beslenme bilgi düzeyi alt ölçekleri ile BKİ, BKO, bel çevresi ölçümü ve vücut yağ oranları erkek öğrencilerden farklılık göstermemektedir. Beslenme bilgi düzeyinin obezitenin önlenmesindeki etkisinin ortaya çıkarılması için daha çok araştırmaya gerek vardır.

Objective Adolescents may be vulnerable to misleading nutritional information and adopt unhealthy food habits. In addition, specific features related to physical training, either aimed to improve fitness or to comply with sport demands, may influence food habits of the youth. This cross-sectional study was aimed to compare nutrition knowledge, food habits and adherence to Mediterranean diet in youth engaged in fitness training, competitive sports or inactive. Methods Three questionnaires, the General and Sport Nutrition Knowledge (GeSNK) questionnaire, a food habit questionnaire and the KIDMED were administered to gym members, athletes engaged in volleyball, long-distance swimming, and gymnastics, and inactive adolescents. Results The total sample included 211 youth (age 16.8 ± 1.7 years). Gym members, like the inactive youth, had lower general and sport-related nutrition knowledge compared to athletes (p = 0.001). In the whole sample, general nutrition knowledge was positively associated with healthy food habits (p < 0.01) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern (p < 0.02). Conclusions Gym members had a level of nutrition knowledge lower than young athletes and similar to inactive youth. Healthy food habits were related with nutrition knowledge among adolescents. Specific nutritional education programs are needed to address food habits in fitness settings.

A balanced diet informed by sound nutrition knowledge is key for operational readiness and the health of military personnel. Unfortunately, research suggests that military personnel have inadequate dietary intakes. This study assessed general nutrition knowledge, diet quality and their association in Australian military personnel. A convenience sample of male military personnel (n 211) including Army soldiers and officers completed a validated general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (GNKQ) and FFQ. The GNKQ assessed knowledge of dietary guidelines (Section A), sources of nutrients (Section B), choosing everyday foods (Section C) and diet-disease relationships (Section D). The Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS) was used to assess diet quality from FFQ data. Statistical analyses included the χ 2 test, Spearman's correlation test, t test, median test, ANCOVA and ordinal logistic regression. The mean total GNKQ score was 52·7 %. Participants performed best on Section A (58·5 %) followed by Sections B (57·3 %) and C (57·0 %) and worst on Section D (31·0 %). Overall, officers scored significantly higher than soldiers (58·7 v. 51·9 %, P=0·001). Age was weakly but positively correlated with GNKQ total scores (r 0·307; P<0·0005), with no significant effects seen for level of education (P=0·463) or living arrangement (P=0·167). Overall ARFS was 37·6 (sd 7·7) (50·8 %) with officers scoring significantly higher than soldiers (54·7 v. 50·3 %, P=0·040). No demographic variables influenced total ARFS. The total GNKQ score had a significant, positive but weak relationship with total ARFS (r 0·179; P=0·009). Given the importance of nutrition to personnel health and operational readiness, initiatives to improve nutrition knowledge and diet quality are recommended in this population, especially in soldiers.

The aim of the present study was to investigate and benchmark the level of general nutrition knowledge in elite Australian athletes (EA) against a similar aged community (CM) and criterion sample with dietetic training (DT). EA (n 175), CM (n 116) and DT (n 53) completed the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ), which assesses four domains (sections A-D) of general nutrition knowledge (section A: dietary guidelines; section B: sources of nutrients; section C: choosing everyday foods; section D: diet-disease relationships). Age, sex and education level were collected in all groups, and athletic calibre and sport type (team or individual) in EA. Dietitians and nutrition scientists (n 53) re-examined the GNKQ for content validity, resulting in instrument revision (R-GNKQ; ninety-six items). Psychometric assessment (internal consistency: Cronbach-α; test-retest: Spearman rank correlation) was performed in a sub-sample (n 28). Independent t tests, ANOVA and ANCOVA (χ² for categorical variables) were used to assess between-group differences. DT scored higher than EA and CM in all sub-sections and overall (P < 0·005). EA scored lower than CM in GNKQ for section B (P < 0·005) and overall (P < 0·005), and in R-GNKQ for section B (P < 0·005), section C (P < 0·005), section D (P = 0·006) and overall (P < 0·005). Overall score was influenced by age (P = 0·036 for GNKQ: P = 0·053 for R-GNKQ), sex (P = 0·016 for GNKQ: P = 0·003 for R-GNKQ) and athletic calibre (P = 0·029 for R-GNKQ only), but not level of education, living situation or ethnicity. EA and CM performed best on section A and worst on D. EA had lower overall general knowledge scores than CM. This was significantly influenced by age and sex.

Adolescence is a crucial time for establishing long-lasting healthy habits, but many university students often engage in unhealthy eating behaviors. Increased independence, social influences, and mental stress all play a role in leading to poor dietary choices that can impact overall health and well-being. It is important to have a good grasp of nutrition to make informed food choices and avoid the development of chronic illnesses. To assess the nutrition knowledge of nursing students and examine the interconnections between participants' beliefs about diet, disease, and weight management. : A total of 100 nursing students participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Data gathering was conducted from March 2023 to May 2023 at a nursing college in the UAE. Participating students completed a self-reported validated revised general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (GNKQ-R). Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation were used for analysis, along with univariate and multivariate analyses as a statistical methodology to examine individual variables within the dataset independently. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the scale in this study is 0.880. A cut-off point of 50 percent correctness was employed to signify a high level of knowledge. All participating students were female, with the majority (94%) being single. Most students (68%) had a normal mass index of 23.6, whereas 32% were overweight. The analysis showed that more than half of the students (57%) rated their overall health condition as good. The analysis also found that the only variable detected to predict the good nutrition knowledge level among studied students was having children less than 18 in the same family. The results of the current study indicate that future wellness actions should prioritize increasing students' general nutrition knowledge while also considering individual and academic factors impacting NK in college.

(1) Background: General nutrition knowledge is a fundamental pillar of well-being and healthy lifestyles. This study aimed to measure the general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (GNKQ) scores of overweight and obese participants who joined a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) and the association between changes in GNKQ scores and changes in anthropometric measures. (2) Methods: A total of 30 and 25 participants had completed the trial at the 3- and 6-month visits, respectively. All participants enrolled in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and received a hypocaloric-tailored diet and three online nutrition education sessions over 6 months. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: an intervention group supported with weekly telemonitoring and monthly telehealth coaching vs. a control group. The Arabic-validated GNKQ was used, covering four sections: dietary recommendations; food groups and nutrient sources; healthy food choices; and associations between the diet-disease relationship and weight. (3) Results: The findings show that both the intervention and control groups showed improvements in GNKQ scores over time, with the intervention group demonstrating significant increases in overall nutrition knowledge and specific areas, such as the diet-disease relationship and weight management, at 3 months. In addition, changes in GNKQ scores had a significant negative association with BMI and visceral fat percentage. The findings underline the benefits of supporting dietary weight loss interventions with telemonitoring and telehealth coaching, suggesting that an increase in nutrition knowledge may relate to lower body fat metrics. Nevertheless, the small sample size and high attrition rate of participants were the main limitations of this study, such that large populations are required to confirm the reliability of the obtained findings.

Lack of nutrition knowledge may contribute to poor dietary practices. Schools are an ideal environment to address this issue and to start the process of nutrition education. Therefore, teachers should be equipped with adequate nutrition knowledge. This study was designed to evaluate the level of general nutrition knowledge and demographic variations in knowledge in a sample of students attending the College of Basic Education in Kuwait. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a modified and validated revised version of the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ-R) for UK adults. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the association between various factors and nutrition knowledge score. A total of five hundred and ninety-seven students completed the questionnaire. Most respondents (84.1%) had a poor level of nutrition knowledge using original Bloom's cutoff points. Sex, BMI, cooking habits, and who is responsible for preparing food in the household were the main determinants of nutrition knowledge score at p < 0.05. The mean score of the students was 40.06 ± 9.89 out of 84 points. Females scored significantly higher than males, at 41.10 ± 9.29 and 38.72 ± 10.48, respectively (p = 0.007). Students with a BMI of ≥30 achieved significantly greater scores (mean 42.30 ± 9.41) than those who were underweight, normal, or overweight (p < 0.001). Students who stated that they always cook their own food achieved significantly greater scores (mean 43.69 ± 9.58) than those who did not (p = 0.025). Students who stated that they depend on the housekeeper for food preparation achieved significantly lower scores (mean 38.86 ± 10.13) than those who prepare their own food or depend on their relatives to prepare food (p = 0.042). Poor nutrition knowledge was found among prospective teachers studying in the College of Basic Education. This must be rectified for the effective implementation of nutrition education programs in schools.

Background: Healthy nutrition is necessary for a good quality of life and reduction in the risk of developing diseases. Research indicates that students do not usually have healthy eating habits. Knowledge about nutrition, dietary guidelines, food groups and the nutrients they contain, the selection and adequate preparation of food, and the health consequences of unhealthy nutrition can influence the eating habits of students. Until recently, no research had been conducted on university-level students' nutrition knowledge in Serbia. The aim of this study was to determine the nutrition knowledge of students from the University of Novi Sad (Vojvodina, Serbia) in relation to gender, year of study, academic field of study, and nutritional status. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the period from December 2021 to July 2022, on 898 students (72.9% female and 27.1% male, with an average age of 22.87 ± 3.092). An online survey questionnaire was used as the research instrument. An assessment of nutrition knowledge was performed using the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ) for the following domains: dietary recommendations; food groups and the nutrients they contain; healthy food choices; and diet, disease and weight associations. Results: Significant differences in students' assessed knowledge levels were determined across various domains of healthy nutrition. The highest level of nutrition knowledge was in healthy food choices, and the lowest was in understanding food groups and nutrient composition. The total determined knowledge about healthy nutrition correlated most with self-assessed knowledge of food groups, and least with knowledge of dietary recommendations. Female gender and higher years of study were associated with higher nutrition knowledge. Students from the Faculty of Medicine had the highest nutrition knowledge, followed by students from the Faculty of Technology and the Faculty of Science, compared to students from other faculties. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for targeted interventions aimed at improving students' understanding of specific nutritional concepts, ultimately empowering them to make informed dietary decisions for lifelong health and wellbeing.

Relationship between Nutrition Knowledge and Gender, Ethnic Background, and Year in School in varsity athletes