Nutrition literacy and its association with food habit among adolescents

Abstract

Background: Nutrition Literacy and Food Habit are critical determinants of lifelong health outcome especially during vulnerable adolescence period. In Nepal, limited nutrition literacy and rapid adoption of unhealthy diets comprises adolescent food choices. Thus, making it significant to assess their nutrition literacy and food habit.

Objective: The objective of the study is to assess nutrition literacy and its association with food habit among adolescents studying in community schools.

Methodology: The descriptive cross-sectional study in Godawari municipality through Proportionate stratified random sampling technique was conducted among 281 students form grades 8, 9 and 10 of multiple government secondary schools. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire which was developed based on pre-established tools and IBM SPSS V27 was used for analysis.

Major Findings: The finding of the study showed that 23.5% of adolescents had best food habits according to Adolescent Food Habit Checklist (AFHC) and 28.5% of the respondents had high nutrition literacy according to Adolescent Nutrition Literacy Scale (ANLS). A moderate, positive and statistically significant correlation was observed between nutrition literacy and food habits (p < 0.001). Logistic Regression showed that each unit increase in nutrition literacy raised the odds of having healthier food habits by 13.3%. Food habit was also significantly associated with level of self education (p =0.022), education of the mother of the respondents (p =0.032), education of the father of the respondents (p =0.032). However, place of residency and family type showed no significant association with food habits.

Conclusion: The study found that only about one fourth of the surveyed adolescents had healthy food habits and a similar proportion reported a good level of nutrition literacy. Furthermore, a positive association was observed between nutrition literacy and food habit, indicating that adolescents with higher nutrition literacy were more likely to practice healthier food habits.

Keywords: Nutrition literacy, food habit, adolescents, dietary pattern, socio-demographic factors