Nutrition literacy levels of pamukkale university students, affecting factors and their relationship with HEALTHY nutrition attitude

The increase in negative eating behaviors during the university period poses a risk for the current period and later years of life. Studies have revealed that with the increase in nutritional literacy, there is an increase in positive nutrition attitudes. With this study, it was aimed to determine the nutritional literacy status of university students, to evaluate the factors affecting it and its relationship with healthy eating attitudes. 317 students studying in 18 different departments at Pamukkale University central campus between October 2022 and November 2022 were included in our research. The data used in the research were obtained by using the survey questions, ANLS and ASHN. The nutritional literacy score of the students was found to be 70.85±9.69. It has been observed that nutritional literacy is affected by variables such as department, nutrition education/knowledge, exercise and dieting, and it has been determined that variables such as age, gender, parental education level, income have no effect on total nutritional literacy. The students' total scores on healthy nutrition were found to be 69.01±11.29. There is a statistically significant relationship between nutritional literacy and healthy eating attitude. In our study, it was determined that 47.6% of the students had a nutritional literacy score above the average and 56.8% had a high level of healthy eating attitude. It has been observed that nutritional literacy is higher in students studying in health-related departments, those who receive nutrition education/knowledge, those who exercise regularly and those who follow a diet. In addition, the increase in the nutritional literacy of the students positively affects the healthy eating attitude. Adding nutrition education courses to all students' education programs, organizing seminars and conferences on healthy nutrition can increase students' nutritional literacy and thus their healthy eating attitudes. In addition, nutritional counseling for adolescents, given by family physicians, is gaining importance in order to create behavioral changes at an early age. Keywords: Nutrition Literacy, Healthy Nutritional Attitude, University Students