PP268 - ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BODY MASS INDEX, SOCIAL MEDIA USE, AND NUTRITION LITERACY IN WOMEN
PP268
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BODY MASS INDEX, SOCIAL MEDIA USE, AND NUTRITION LITERACY IN WOMEN
K. N. İşçi1, N. Inanc2,*
1Institue of Health Science, 2Faculty of Health Science, Nuh Naci Yazgan University, Kayseri, Türkiye
Rationale: Mobile applications and social media platforms are increasingly used as sources of nutrition information. Particularly among women, social media has become an important channel for accessing nutrition-related content. Therefore, using social media to obtain accurate information may contribute to improving nutrition literacy.
Methods: A total of 402 women participated in this cross-sectional study. Body Mass Index (BMI) values (kg/m²) were calculated based on anthropometric measurements. Nutrition literacy levels were assessed using the Evaluation Instrument of Nutrition Literacy on Adults (EINLA), and social media use was evaluated using the Social Media Use Scale (SMUS).
Results: According to BMI classification, 21.9% of participants were overweight. A weak but significant positive correlation was found between social media use and nutrition literacy (r=0.174; p<0.001). Additionally, BMI was positively associated with total nutrition literacy scores (r=0.123; p=0.013). Among the subscales, weak but significant positive correlations were observed between BMI and reading comprehension (r=0.138; p=0.006), general nutrition knowledge (r=0.143; p=0.004), and portion size knowledge (r=0.168; p<0.001). Age was negatively correlated with total social media use score and social integration and emotional connection subscale scores (r=-0.125; p=0.012; r=-0.127; p=0.011).
Conclusion: Social media use was positively associated with nutrition literacy, but this relationship was not reflected in BMI differences. These findings highlight the potential role of social media as a platform for improving nutrition knowledge and emphasize the importance of disseminating evidence-based nutrition information through digital channels.
Disclosure of Interest: None declared