PD173 - RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUSTAINABLE DIETARY BEHAVIORS, NUTRITIONAL LITERACY, AND DIET QUALITY AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN TURKEY

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PD173

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUSTAINABLE DIETARY BEHAVIORS, NUTRITIONAL LITERACY, AND DIET QUALITY AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN TURKEY

H. Taskin1,*, M. Ayranci-Pinarcik1, B. Madali-Kafes1

1Nutrition and Dietetics, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Türkiye

 

Rationale: Sustainable dietary behaviors are essential for both human and environmental health, while nutritional literacy plays a key role in shaping food choices. This study aimed to examine the relationship between sustainable dietary behaviors, nutritional literacy, and diet quality among university students.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 385 university students aged 18–24 years in Konya, Turkey. Data were collected using face-to-face questionnaires and 24-hour dietary recalls. Sustainable dietary behaviors were assessed using the Sustainable and Healthy Dietary Behaviors Scale. Nutritional literacy was evaluated using the Nutritional Literacy Scale, including knowledge, attitude, and behavior subdomains. Diet quality was measured using the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I).

Results: The mean age was 21.7±2.29 years, and 78.5% were female. Most participants had normal BMI (63.9%). No significant differences were found between diet quality groups and sustainable dietary behaviors or nutritional literacy (p>0.05). However, weak but significant positive correlations were observed between DQI-I components, particularly dietary variety, and both nutritional literacy (behavior subdomain) and sustainable dietary behaviors (p<0.05). Nutritional literacy, especially its behavioral component, was also positively associated with multiple dimensions of sustainable dietary behaviors, with moderate correlations for total scores.

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Conclusion: Nutritional literacy and sustainable dietary behaviors were positively associated with specific components of diet quality. Improving nutritional literacy, particularly behavioral aspects, may support healthier and more sustainable dietary patterns in young adults.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared