Nutrition knowledge among university students in the UK: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: To investigate nutrition knowledge (NK) in university students, potential factors affecting knowledge and predictors of good NK. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017-2018. The revised General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire was administered online to assess overall NK and subsections of knowledge (dietary recommendations, nutrient sources of foods, healthy food choices and diet-disease relationships). The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare overall NK scores according to sex, age, ethnicity, field of study, studying status, living arrangement, being on a special diet and perceived health. Logistic regression was performed to identify which of these factors were associated with a good level of NK (defined as having an overall NK score above the median score of the sample population). Setting: Two London-based universities. Participants: One hundred and ninety students from various academic disciplines. Results: The highest NK scores were found in the healthy food choices (10 out of 13 points) and the lowest in the nutrient sources of foods section (25 out of 36 points). Overall NK score was 64 out of 88 points, with 46·8 % students reaching a good level of knowledge. Knowledge scores significantly differed according to age, field of study, ethnicity and perceived health. Having good NK was positively associated with age (OR = 1·05, (95 % CI 1·00, 1·1), P < 0·05), White ethnicity (OR = 3·27, (95 % CI 1·68, 6·35), P < 0·001) and health rating as very good or excellent (OR = 4·71, (95 % CI 1·95, 11·4), P < 0·05). Conclusions: Future health-promoting interventions should focus on increasing knowledge of specific nutrition areas and consider the personal and academic factors affecting NK in university students.