The relationship between healthy nutrition attitudes and microbiota awareness levels of adult individuals

Obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular and psychological diseases are public health problems that are closely related to nutrition, are common and threaten public health. Individuals' eating habits significantly affect the microbiota composition. Various studies support the fact that microbiota composition affects many diseases that threaten public health. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between adult individuals' attitudes towards healthy nutrition and their microbiota awareness levels. This study was conducted between February 2023 and December 2023 on social media among people living in the Thrace Region (Kırklareli, Edirne and Tekirdağ). The data obtained from this descriptive and correlational study were analyzed in the SPSS 25.0 program. The results were evaluated at a 95% confidence level. 822 people participated in our study, 61.9% of the participants were female and 38.1% were male. As a result of our research, it was found that the participants' Health Nutrition Attitudes Scale (HNSAS) Health Nutrition Attitudes general score average was 71.48±5.83 and they had high level of healthy nutrition attitudes. The Microbiota Awareness Scale (MAS) Microbiota Awareness general score, which has no cut-off point and can be scored between 18 and 100, was found to be 68.65±10.41. A weak positive correlation was found between the Healthy Nutrition Attitudes Scale and the Microbiota Awareness Scale (r=0.237). When the very strong correlations between HNSAS and MNSAS were examined; There was a very strong positive correlation between the General Knowledge subscale and the Microbiota Awareness scale (r=0.855), a very strong positive correlation between the Chronic Disease Knowledge subscale and the Microbiota Awareness scale (r=0.808), and a very strong positive correlation between the Prebiotic Probiotic Knowledge subscale and the Microbiota Awareness scale (r=0.860). Healthy nutrition of individuals can support better public health and the prevention of some diseases. In our study, those who had dieting experience under the supervision of a dietician scored higher in Product Knowledge, Prebiotic-Probiotic Knowledge and Microbiota Awareness than those who did not. Based on these, in order to manage healthy nutrition and microbiota knowledge and attitudes positively, public education should be provided on these issues and the employment of dietitians should be increased. Key Words: Healthy eating, Diet, Microbiota, Microbiom