Search results

1 – 10 of over 9000
Article
Publication date: 28 October 2013

Stojan Kostanjevec, Janez Jerman and Verena Koch

Children's eating habits are influenced by numerous social and individual factors. The present study aimed to evaluate the connection between nutrition knowledge of children and…

1267

Abstract

Purpose

Children's eating habits are influenced by numerous social and individual factors. The present study aimed to evaluate the connection between nutrition knowledge of children and their eating habits as well as their attitudes towards healthy eating habits.

Design/methodology/approach

The research study included 630 11-year-old children from 27 randomly selected Slovenian schools. During the research, children attended the sixth grade of the nine-year elementary school and on average were subject to 38.6 h of mandatory nutritional contents, which are planned in the curriculum of home economics. At the end of the school year, nutrition knowledge was checked with a knowledge test consisting of 27 questions. Considering the achieved results, children were classified into three knowledge categories: low, fairly good, and good nutrition knowledge. Children's eating habits were assessed with a food-frequency questionnaire, while the five-degree Likert scale was used to assess their attitudes to healthy eating habits. Differences in children's eating habits and attitudes in reference to the category of knowledge were determined through analysis of variance.

Findings

The results demonstrated that children with better nutrition knowledge have healthier eating habits and a more positive attitude towards them than children with poor nutrition knowledge.

Originality/value

The study results demonstrate the link between children's nutrition knowledge and attitudes on the one hand and eating habits on the other which justifies the importance of providing formal and informal nutrition education to children.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 43 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 June 2011

Anthony R. Dissen, Peggy Policastro, Virginia Quick and Carol Byrd‐Bredbenner

Little is known about interrelationships among nutrition knowledge, attitude, dietary intake, and body satisfaction, which are important variables that play a role in nutrition…

2453

Abstract

Purpose

Little is known about interrelationships among nutrition knowledge, attitude, dietary intake, and body satisfaction, which are important variables that play a role in nutrition education interventions. This paper aims to focus on these interrelationships.

Design/methodology/approach

Students (n=279; 20.12±1.75SD years) enrolled at a large northeastern US university took an online survey. The survey contained a nutrition knowledge scale, attitude scale, food frequency scales, body areas satisfaction subscale, and demographic characteristics questions. To determine relationships, correlation coefficients were computed, along with forward stepwise regression to identify predictors of each study measure.

Research limitations/implications

Data were collected from a non‐probability sample in one geographical area at one time point.

Findings

In males, significant positive correlations were found between fruit/vegetable servings and attitudes, knowledge, body satisfaction; and between knowledge and attitudes. Stepwise multiple regression analysis found fruit/vegetable servings and percent calories from fat significantly predicted attitudes, while in females attitude was a significant predictor variable for knowledge, fruit/vegetable servings, and percent of calories from fat. Among females, significant positive correlations occurred between attitudes and knowledge, and fruit/vegetable servings and attitudes.

Practical implications

Nutrition and health interventions should incorporate lessons that work to improve one's attitudes toward nutrition. Interventions targeted to males should aim to increase nutrition knowledge, while interventions targeted to females should focus on nutrition knowledge and attitudes.

Originality/value

This paper expands on what is known about young adults and key cognitive factors that influence their nutrition knowledge, attitudes, dietary intake, and body satisfaction. Nutrition educators can utilize the study findings to inform future nutrition interventions.

Details

Health Education, vol. 111 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 December 2015

Pi-Chuan Sun, Hsien-Long Huang and Fang-Yi Chu

The purpose of this paper is to examine how health consciousness and nutrition self-efficacy influence attitudes towards and use of nutrition labels, the moderating effect of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how health consciousness and nutrition self-efficacy influence attitudes towards and use of nutrition labels, the moderating effect of nutrition knowledge between health consciousness and nutrition label attitude, and the impact of the consumer’s ethical evaluation of a business on nutrition label use.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes an integrative model that includes health consciousness, nutrition self-efficacy, nutrition knowledge, nutrition label attitude, ethical evaluation, and nutrition label use. Empirical data were collected from a famous website in Taiwan by a non-ordered questionnaire to decrease the priming effect, and 306 valid questionnaires were collected. The collected data were analysed using SPSS and AMOS software.

Findings

The results show that both health consciousness and nutrition self-efficacy have direct effects on nutrition label attitude, and this attitude will influence label use. There is a moderating effect of nutrition knowledge, in terms of both subjective and objective nutrition label knowledge, between health consciousness and nutrition label attitude. However, the moderating effect in the low nutrition label knowledge group is slightly greater than in the high nutrition label knowledge group. The consumer’s ethical evaluation of businesses affects nutrition label use.

Originality/value

This study is the first to indicate that nutrition label knowledge, both subjective and objective, will moderate the relationship between consumers’ health consciousness and their attitude towards nutrition labels. Furthermore, this study affirms the relationship between the consumer’s ethical evaluation of a firm and nutrition label use.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 117 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2001

Mahshid Pirouznia

Eating behaviors of children and adolescents are important in establishing adults’ preferences and behaviors. Nutrition knowledge is one of the factors that could influence an…

3797

Abstract

Eating behaviors of children and adolescents are important in establishing adults’ preferences and behaviors. Nutrition knowledge is one of the factors that could influence an adolescent’s eating behavior. Therefore the relationship between nutrition knowledge and eating behaviors of adolescents was examined in this research project. The participants were students from a middle school in Ohio. The students were asked to answer a questionnaire CANKAP (Comprehensive Assessment of Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices), which measured nutrition knowledge and eating behavior. The results indicated that the relationship between nutrition knowledge and eating behavior was insignificant for sixth grade students, but significant for seventh and eighth grade students. The students were not able to identify the food sources of nutrients or nutrient functions, and they did not use a daily food guide to choose foods, although they were aware of the importance of milk and vegetable consumption. The findings in this study will add to the limited research data currently defining the relationship between nutrition knowledge and the eating behaviors of middle school students.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 31 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2011

Fiona Lalor, Jean Kennedy and Patrick G. Wall

This study aims to investigate whether nutrition knowledge impacts on the credibility and purchase behaviour of foodstuffs that make health claims.

2222

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether nutrition knowledge impacts on the credibility and purchase behaviour of foodstuffs that make health claims.

Design/methodology/approach

The UCD Food and Health Survey is a monthly online survey, which began in November 2008. In March 2009, participants were asked a series of questions pertaining to nutrition and health claims and 665 completed questionnaires were included for analysis. Participants' level of nutrition knowledge was measured using a combined and modified version of Parmenter and Wardle's General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (1999) and that of Hawkes and Nowak (1998). Perceived credibility was gauged using a semantic differential scale and the questionnaire was designed to also assess participants' purchasing behaviour of functional foods.

Findings

Females scored significantly higher than males for nutrition knowledge (p=0.004) but there was no significant difference in nutrition knowledge between age groups. “Reduces feelings of hunger” was deemed the most credible claim. With the exception of “This yogurt drink will strengthen your bones and teeth”, there was no difference in credibility between high and low nutrition knowledge groups. Health claims were more credible to participants when found on yogurt and breakfast cereal when compared with pasta and chocolate. Products claiming to reduce cholesterol were purchased more in the previous month than any of the other products and the same product was purchased statistically more often by those participants in the older age group.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of this study was that the panel were younger and more formally educated than the general public. They were also more likely to be female. The gender bias may be because the survey was food and health‐based and therefore may not have appealed to men as a more generally themed survey might have done. The results of this study should be considered therefore with this limitation in mind.

Practical implications

People do not consider products with health claims to be a uniform category of foodstuffs and participants' level of nutrition knowledge does not have a significant impact on their behaviour towards products carrying health claims.

Originality/value

Knowledge of nutrition does not impact on people's reactions to products with health claims and different foods demonstrate different levels of credibility as carriers for health claims.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 113 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2017

Caroline Hodges, Ashley Roseno, Melani W. Duffrin and Virginia C. Stage

This study aims to develop and empirically assess an instrument for measuring nutrition knowledge aligned to the North Carolina (NC) Healthful Living Essential Standards for…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop and empirically assess an instrument for measuring nutrition knowledge aligned to the North Carolina (NC) Healthful Living Essential Standards for teaching nutrition. The instrument was critically evaluated and used to assess nutrition knowledge in Eastern NC students.

Design/methodology/approach

Researchers evaluated 250 students in 16, eighth-grade classrooms using a 22-question researcher-developed nutrition knowledge questionnaire. Assessment questions were aligned with NC Healthful Living Essential Standards, which suggest students should be able to: apply tools to plan healthy nutrition, create strategies to improve dietary intake, create plans for lifelong health, and evaluate health information and products. Survey reliability and validity (face) were evaluated prior to study implementation. Descriptive statistics for individual items, total and individual standard scores were analyzed. Instrument efficacy was evaluated using item-difficulty and discrimination indexes.

Findings

The survey displayed appropriate levels of item difficulty with three exceptions: two questions were identified as too difficult, and one as too easy. The majority of items also displayed acceptable (>0.20) or excellent (>0.40) discrimination (17 out of 20). Average total nutrition knowledge score was 11.82-3.26 (53.7 per cent). Within aligned standards, students scored highest in creating plans for lifelong health (79 per cent) and lowest in evaluating health information (37.6 per cent).

Originality/value

Study findings suggest eighth-grade students may only possess half the nutrition knowledge standards expected in the eighth grade. More instrument development is needed to supply researchers with standard means of assessing nutrition knowledge.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 47 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 August 2019

Zuraidah Zainol, Rusliza Yahaya, Juliana Osman and Nor Asiah Omar

This study aims to determine the effect of health knowledge on nutrition-label use and attitude, and consequently on healthy food choice among Malaysian Muslim consumers.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to determine the effect of health knowledge on nutrition-label use and attitude, and consequently on healthy food choice among Malaysian Muslim consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts the positivist, deductive and quantitative approach. A sample consisting of 257 Muslim consumers, at least 15 years old, were selected using systematic street-intercept sampling method. Data collected using a self-administered questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling (SEM).

Findings

The findings reveal the significant positive effect of health knowledge on nutrition-label use and attitude towards nutrition label, but only attitude towards nutrition label significantly predicts healthy food choice.

Research limitations/implications

Though the findings add to the existing literature, provide useful information on how nutrition label could guide the consumer to make healthier food choices and serve as a reference point that could stimulate and guide future researchers and other relevant parties, this study is limited by several factors that require replication in future research.

Originality/value

This research is perhaps one of the first attempts to consider the role of nutrition label as one of the ways to comply with the Tayyib principle.

Details

Journal of Islamic Marketing, vol. 11 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-0833

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 December 2018

Sharareh Hekmat and Lindsay Nicole Dawson

The purpose of this paper is to investigate knowledge and attitudes toward genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and nanotechnology among the Canadian youth demographic. The…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate knowledge and attitudes toward genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and nanotechnology among the Canadian youth demographic. The primary objective of this pilot study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes toward GMOs and nanotechnology among first year university students. The secondary objective was to compare knowledge and attitudes toward GMOs and nanotechnology among students studying nutrition as to students who do not study nutrition.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was developed by researchers and student volunteers. This questionnaire was distributed to first year university classes at Western University. The multiple-choice questions were analyzed using SAS, and open-ended questions were analyzed using theme analysis.

Findings

GMO knowledge was strong for both populations, however questions related to the percentage of GM foods grown in Canada indicated nutrition students had a stronger GMO knowledge (p = 0.031). Open-ended questions revealed overall attitudes toward GMOs were either unsure or negative between both populations. Nutrition students had a more positive attitude toward nanotechnology, and a slightly stronger knowledge regarding applications of nanotechnology (p = 0.006). Theme analysis indicated that participants enrolled in nutritional studies were less apprehensive toward GMOs. No differences were indicated in open-ended questions related to nanotechnology between both groups, which may be due to the lack of awareness related to the novelty of the technology.

Research limitations/implications

Without a validated questionnaire, this reduces the reliability of the results from the questionnaire. The questionnaire was carefully designed by combining previous studies questionnaires, as well as producing questions from related literature, which increases the reliability and accuracy of the questionnaire. In addition, the questionnaires underwent several rounds of pre-piloting as well as multiple revisions with current health-care professions to increase the reliability and accuracy of the questionnaire.

Practical implications

This study will assist in understanding the current knowledge of GMOs and nanotechnology among first year university students. This will then allow us to understand if knowledge has a factor in altering students’ attitudes toward these technologies. If students do not have a strong knowledge toward these technologies, then this may lead to the potential implementation of education regarding GMOs and nanotechnology. As these technologies are emerging and being used in everyday food items, individuals should be aware of the implications, as well as the benefits of these technologies.

Originality/value

This is the first study regarding this topic in Canada. Results from this study provide baseline data that may be used to conduct future research.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 49 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 September 2013

Jungjin Hwang

The purpose of this study is: to examine how the nutrient ad disclosures (i.e. absolute and evaluative disclosure) of fast food menu items influence consumers' evaluation…

1100

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is: to examine how the nutrient ad disclosures (i.e. absolute and evaluative disclosure) of fast food menu items influence consumers' evaluation behaviors of those foods; to investigate how consumers' subjective nutrition knowledge and BMI influence their evaluation behaviors of fast food meals with nutrient ad disclosures.

Design/methodology/approach

Two 2×2 experiment designs were used to investigate the influences of nutrient ad disclosures, subjective nutrition knowledge, and BMI on consumers' evaluation behavior.

Findings

The findings indicate that: the evaluative disclosure led to significantly less favorable consumer evaluations of selected fast food menu items than did the absolute disclosure; consumers who had high subjective nutrition knowledge and who were low BMI (i.e. people who have normal BMI) conducted significantly more critical evaluations of focal fast food meals with nutrient ad disclosures than did their counterparts.

Practical implications

Those findings imply that policy makers should develop a new format of nutrition information on fast food meals based on the evaluative disclosure in order to help consumers choose healthful foods.

Originality/value

Even though the effectiveness of the new menu-labeling regulation of the fast food industry is still controversial, only a few studies have been conducted to find a more effective nutrition information format than the current format. Thus, this study provides valuable implications to policy makers in terms of developing a more effective nutrition information format.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 115 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 1997

Angela Shine, Seamus O’Reilly and Kathleen O’Sullivan

Research findings have suggested that today’s consumers view nutrition in a positive light. The findings of this survey support such evidence. The majority of consumers consider…

4402

Abstract

Research findings have suggested that today’s consumers view nutrition in a positive light. The findings of this survey support such evidence. The majority of consumers consider diet to be a very important component of their lifestyles and regard nutrition as a positive attribute of food products. A high level of awareness of nutrition labelling is evident among consumers, and 58 per cent of respondents use nutrition labels. However, consumers have to deduce information from nutrition labels in their current format. This proves rather difficult as knowledge of a balanced diet is quite low. Therefore, consumers find it difficult to implement current dietary advice through the use of nutrition labels, and only 17 per cent of the sample surveyed use labels for this purpose. Social networks and the “popular” media were found to be the most used sources of nutrition information, the medical profession was seen as a source of “cure” rather than prevention and a negligible percentage of the sample used official government information channels. Concludes that nutrition labels have a role to play; however, the food industry needs to respond to consumer needs and education/information provision needs to be improved.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 99 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 9000