The relationship between nutrition literacy and nutrition information seeking attitudes and healthy eating patterns among a group of palestinians

Abstract

IntroductionNutrition literacy is crucial because it gives people information and drives them to take responsibility for their eating habits. Prior research on three categories of nutrition literacy among Palestinians was lacking: functional literacy (FNL), interactive literacy (INL), and critical literacy (CNL).Aims(1) Describe three types of nutrition literacy—FNL, INL, and CNL—among a group of Palestinians was one of the study’s primary objectives. (2) To investigate the connections between various nutrition literacy levels, eating habits, and the habit of seeking out nutrition-related information.Methods149 Palestinians were chosen at random to take part in the study in the fall of 2020. Data on sociodemographic variables were gathered through an online survey that was disseminated across social and educational internet sites. Nutrition literacy data was gathered using a translated questionnaire, while diet behavior data was gathered using the Short Format of the Diet Health and Knowledge Survey (SFDHKS). The data were examined using SPSS 21.ResultsThis study included young people (20.4 ± 4.9 years old), 78% of whom were female. The majorities of participants had bachelor’s degrees or were already enrolled in school to obtain them. FNL had a mean of 2.8 ± 0.5, INL of 3.3 ± 0.5, and CNL of 3.6 ± 0.5. The connection between CNL and INL was significant (p 0.05). Significant correlations were found between many aspects of diet behavior, the usage of food labels, and nutrition literacy.ConclusionParticipants from the Palestinian community are willing to learn about and comprehend nutrition facts and how it relates to diet behavior in 2021.