Evaluation of the relationship between nutritional knowledge levels and portion size perception of nutrition and dietetics department students of Sanko University Faculty of Health Sciences

This study is a descriptive research conducted to determine the relationship between nutrition knowledge levels and portion size perception among university students studying in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. A total of 110 students (female: 90%, male: 10%) participated in the study. Data on students' socio-demographic characteristics, nutritional behaviors, 24-hour dietary intake records, and anthropometric measurements were collected through face-to-face interviews by the researcher. Students' portion size perceptions were evaluated face-to-face in a laboratory setting through practical assessments.The mean age of the students was 21 ± 2 years, and the mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was 22.59 ± 3.19 kg/m². The average nutrition knowledge score (out of 88 points) was 41.2 ± 6.99 for female students and 40.27 ± 5.29 for male students, with no statistically significant difference (p>0.05).A statistically significant difference was found between genders in terms of carbohydrate (%), total fat (g), total fat (%), and total omega-9 fatty acid levels (p<0.05). Median values showed that female students had higher total fat (40.19 g), percentage of total fat intake (39%), and total omega-9 intake (6.6 g) than male students, while male students had higher carbohydrate intake (49.49%) compared to female students (40.98%). There was also a statistically significant difference among class levels in terms of carbohydrate (g), carbohydrate (%), total fat (%), niacin, riboflavin, magnesium, vitamin B12, total omega-9, folic acid, and vitamin B6 levels (p<0.05). Third-year students had higher carbohydrate intake (132.5 g) and percentage of energy from carbohydrates (49.7%) compared to first- and fourth-year students. Fourth-year students had a higher percentage of total fat intake (41.65%) than third-year students (33.28%). Second-year students had higher niacin intake (16.31 mg) than first-year students (11.59 mg), and third-year students had higher riboflavin (1.03 mg) and magnesium (211.04 mg) intake than first-year students (0.78 mg and 139.2 mg, respectively). Significant differences were found in students' subscale scores for nutrition recommendations, food groups, nutrition-disease relationships, and overall nutrition knowledge scale scores according to class level (p<0.05). The mean subscale score for nutrition recommendations was higher in third-year students (9.9 ± 1.61) than in second-year students (7.92 ± 2.55). The subscale scores for food groups and overall nutrition knowledge were higher in third- and fourth-year students (20.43 ± 3.31 and 22.63 ± 2; 43.86 ± 5.1 and 45.06 ± 3.93, respectively) than in first- and second-year students. Additionally, the mean subscale score for nutrition-disease relationships was higher in fourth-year students (9.8 ± 1.75) than in first-year students (8.27 ± 2.94). No statistically significant relationship was found between students' class levels or genders and their portion size perception scores (p>0.05). The study revealed that few students correctly estimated the standard portion sizes, and the overall nutrition knowledge level of the students in the Nutrition and Dietetics Department was found to be low. Therefore, it is suggested that regular nutrition education seminars, awareness programs, and practical courses be organized at universities to improve the nutrition knowledge levels of Nutrition and Dietetics students.