General nutrition knowledge and related factors in students of Tazelenme University

GENERAL NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE AND RELATED FACTORS IN STUDENTS OF TAZELENME UNIVERSITY Aims: This study aims to determine the general nutrition knowledge levels of the Gero-Atlas 60+ Tazelenme University, which was put into practice as a result of the Gero-Atlas study of Akdeniz University, students and other factors related to this. Our longitudinal aim: To form the basis of the educational programmes of Gero-Atlas 60+ Tazelenme University which was established as civil initiative according to our scientific findings Method: This is a cross-sectional study with quantitative data. 167 students whom educated in Akdeniz and Ege University campuses of Tazelenme University participated in this study. To determine the general nutrition knowledge level, Parmenter and Wardle's General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire, translated by Alsaffar, was used. This questionnaire consists of 4 sections (A-B-C-D) but section D, covering diet-disease relationships, was not used. For each section and total score, the average percentage points obtained by dividing the average score by the maximum number of points that can be taken are calculated. Section A covers the dietary recommendations of specialists. Participants who give correct answers to all of questions in Section A get 11 points. Section B covers the nutrient knowledge and participants who give correct answers to all of questions in Section B get 63 points. Section C covers everyday food choises and participants who give correct answers to all of questions in Section C get 8 points. Participants who give correct answers to all of questions get 82 points. Findings: 39.5% of the participants (n=66) are female, and 60.5% (n=101) are male. The age average of participants is 64.89±6.40. 11 (%6.6) of the participants received education for less than 5 years, 48 (%28.7) participants received education for 5-11 years and 108 (%64.7) participants received education for more than 11 years. Most of the participants (61.7%) were found to be overweight or obese. The participants' mean scores in sections A, B, and C are 5 (%45), 38 (%60.75), 6 (%78.36); respectively and the total mean score is 49.5 (60.42%). Even though the total score of the participants are high, they are found to be lacking in their knowledge about specialists' dietary recommendations when sub-groups are examined separately. There is significant relationship between education level and general nutrition knowledge (p = 0.001) and subgroup analyzes (section B) (p = 0.005). There is no significant relation between gender, age, Body Mass Index (BMI), income level, marital status (p>0.05). The findings of this study point to a significant relation between sub group (section C) and age. The 75-year-old and over-age group's everyday food choises score was significantly lower than the group below 65 years of age and 65-74 age group (p = 0.005). 68.9% of the participants (n = 115) stated that they had chronic illness. 30.4% of individuals have hypertension and 13.4% of individuals have diabetic. Participants who had diabetes+ hypertension were found as having lower scores on sub group (section C) than those with other diseases (p = 0.049). 70.7% of the participants do not know how many portions of fruit and vegetables should be consumed per day. 81.4% of participants do not know what type of oil reduction is important for our health. The majority of participants (87.4%) do not know how many grams a day salt consumption should exceed. Results: The higher the education level is, the better the general nutrition knowledge level is. Even though the total score of the participants are high, they are found to be lacking in their knowledge about specialists' dietary recommendations when sub-groups are examined separately. In the nutrition lessons of Gero-Atlas 60+ Tazelenme University, we think that giving coverage to the amount of salt, sugar, starchy foods, vegetables and fruits, the nutrition in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension disease, the correct type of oil usage, will increase the level of nutrition knowledge. Keywords: Elderly; General Nutrition Knowledge.