Relating aspects of adolescents’ critical nutrition literacy at the personal level

Abstract

Efforts targeting adolescents’ dietary behaviour have often focused on improving their access to nutrition information; however, adolescents report finding nutrition information difficult to understand. Exploring adolescents’ critical nutrition literacy might provide insight into how best to improve their use of available nutrition information.PurposeThe purpose of this article is to explore how the two aspects of the critical nutrition literacy - critical evaluation of nutrition information’ and ‘engagement in dietary behaviour’ are linked at personal level. Additionally, the study sought to establish the association between critical nutrition literacy and self-efficacy in nutrition related subjects.MethodsApplying a cross-sectional study design, the study sampled 1622 adolescents aged 15-16years, enrolled in 58 secondary schools in Norway. The adolescents responded to scales measuring self-efficacy and CNL. Using Lisrel 9.30, the study evaluated a structural equation model linking CNL and SEBH.ResultsThe study yielded a simple yet theoretically sound model depicting the link between CNL and self-efficacy.ConclusionEfforts promoting adolescents’ nutrition literacy might benefit from increasing their self-efficacy in nutrition-related subjects.