The evaluation of the levels of knowledge and practice on sustainable nutrition of individuals' aged twenty years and over

This study has been performed in order to evaluate the levels of knowledge and practice on sustainable nutrition of individuals aged twenty years and over. The study has been conducted on 415 adult individuals ( 250 women and 165 men ) aged twenty years and over, who are living in the town of Çankaya, Ankara and the town of Pamukkale, Denizli between the dates of November 2016 and January 2017. The individuals' socio-demographic characteristics, food preferences and their knowledge on sustainable nutrition have been gathered by a questionnaire. The body-mass index (BMI) values of the participants, their knowledge points on sustainable nutrition and sustainable food preference scores were calculated. The mean age of the individuals has been determined as 35,1 ± 12,09 years. Sixty three and five percent of the participant thought that they had a healthy diet. There was a statistically significant difference between gender and the thought of healthy nutrition (p<0,001). According to BMI groups, 54,0 % of the participants were in the normal, 28,8% of them were in the overweight and 12,3% of them were in the obese groups. The difference between gender and BMI groups was statistically significant (p<0,001). The mean score of sustainable nutrition knowledge was 10,3±2,13. Thirty seven and six percent of the women and 22,4% of the men had sustainable nutrition knowledge at adequate level. The difference between the sustainable nutrition knowledge level and the gender was statistically significant (p<0,01). According to the BMI groups, 32,7% of the normal participants, 36,1% of the overweight ones and 15,7% of the obese ones had an adequate sustainable nutrition knowledge level. The difference between BMI groups and the sustainable nutrition knowledge level hasn't been significant (p>0,05). Thirty six and one percent of the civil servants, 31,3% of the academicians, 35,7% of the health officers had an adequate sustainable knowledge level. Nevertheless, no dietitians had an adequate sustainable knowledge. Thirty one percent of the individuals who had heard about sustainable nutrition concept before and 32,1% of the ones who had not heard about sustainable nutrition concept possess sustainable knowledge at a sufficient level. Thirty and six percent of the women and 14,6% of the men expressed that they had heard of sustainable nutrition concept before. The difference between the gender and hearing about the sustainable nutrition concept was statistically significant (p<0,001). The sustainable food preference score means of the participants were 8,1 ± 2,28. Fifty and four percent of the women and 35,8% of the men had an adequate sustainable food preference score. When evaluated according to the age groups, it has been determined that the participants age 50 years and over got the highest score (60,0%) and that the participants between the age range of 20-29 got the lowest score (31,5%). Fifty four and five percent of the married ones and 32,5% of the single ones had adequate sustainable nutrient preference score. The difference between the gender, the age group and the marital status and sustainable food preference has been determined significant statistically (p<0,05). Forty and two percent of those having received master's or Ph degrees, 49,2% of those who have received university education and 30,4% of those who have received high school education had got an adequate sustainable food preference score and the difference between the educational level and sustainable food preference score was significant (p<0,05). According to the BMI grouping, 44,1% of the normal ones, 50,0% of the overweight ones and 37,0% of the obese ones had an adequate sustainable food preference score. The difference between the BMI groups and sustainable food preference score was not significant (p>0,05). Fifty two and nine percent of the civil servants, 76,9% of the academicians and 35,2% of the dietitians had an adequate sustainable food preference score. The difference between the professions and sustainable food preference score has been significant statistically (p<0,05). Fifty and five percent of the participants having heard of sustainable nutrition concept had got a sufficient sustainable food preference score. Fifty one and seven percent of those who possessed an adequate sustainable nutrition knowledge level own a sufficient sustainable food preference score. The difference between sustainable nutrition knowledge level and sustainable food preference scores was not significant (p>0,05). Eighty percent of the participants were in the habit of reading food labels. The habit of reading the food labels of women (84,8%) was higher than men (72,6%) and there was a significant difference between the gender and the habit of reading food labels (p<0,05). The participants mostly paid attention to the additives in the food on the food labels (20,8%). When a food was purchased, the expiration dates were given importance the most (39,6%). In conclusion, the knowledge level of the participants is insufficient on sustainable nutrition and the level of having heard of sustainable nutrition concept is very low. The issue of sustainable nutrition concept is required to be emphasized more strongly in order to make this concept understood clearly and improve a life-style based on it and it is thought that more studies are required to be performed in order to raise awareness on the effects of nutrient preferences on nature and healthy nutrition.