Food Literacy Assessment of a Sample of Romanian Higher Education Students

Abstract

Background: Food literacy is an essential aspect of modern education, nourishing students with the knowledge and necessary skills to make informed, healthy, and sustainable food choices. Building upon the validated research conducted in Portugal concerning the nutritional knowledge level of Portuguese students, our objective was to provide a similar survey instrument to Romanian students to assess their level of food literacy. Methods: The data was collected, based on a pilot study, from 120 Romanian students who completed an online questionnaire. The questionnaire covered anthropometrics, physical activity, diet, food literacy knowledge, and behavior. Food literacy was classified into three distinct sections: literacy about healthy eating patterns, literacy about labeling and food choices, and literacy about nutritional value and composition. Results: Students who possessed the most elevated food literacy were also the ones with a high academic performance. Weight issues affected 45% of students, with a significant 12.7% having eating disorders. We found no association between food literacy, BMI, and age. Conclusions: Our pilot study could lay the foundation for similar studies for our country on a larger scale, with the aim of developing further educational curricula and community programs regarding nutrition, striving towards a healthier future.