Do nutrition knowledge, food preferences, and habit strength moderate the association between Preference for Intuition and Deliberation in Eating Decision-making and dietary intake?

An intuitive style in eating decision-making, for example, basing decisions on one’s gut feeling, has been related to a less healthy diet, whereas deliberately deciding what to eat, such as making plans about eating behavior, has been related to a healthier diet. The present study investigated whether nutrition knowledge, food preferences, and habit strength for healthy and unhealthy eating moderate these relationships. In total, 1245 participants took part in a preregistered cross-sectional online survey. Results revealed that neither nutrition knowledge, nor liking of healthy or unhealthy foods, nor habit strength for healthy or unhealthy eating interacted with the preference for intuition or deliberation in eating decision-making in affecting dietary intake. Instead, including the potential moderating variables in analyses rendered the effect of a preference for intuition largely non-significant. In contrast, the positive effect of a preference for deliberation was largely stable even when including the potential moderating variables. Thus, the present study confirms the general health-promoting effect of a preference for deliberation in eating decision-making. In contrast, results speak in favor of a generally minor role of a preference for intuition for healthy or unhealthy eating.

Household food insecurity is associated with child’s dietary diversity score among primary school children in two districts in Ghana

Background: Dietary diversity is generally considered as a good indicator of nutrient adequacy and is influenced by various factors at the national, household, and individual levels. Objective: The present study sought to determine the relationships between household food insecurity, primary caregivers’ nutrition knowledge, and dietary diversity of school-aged children in Ghana. Methods: This forms part of a longitudinal study conducted in the Ayawaso West Municipal district in Accra (urban setting) and the Upper Manya Krobo district (rural setting) in Ghana. Data were collected from a total of 116 caregiver-child dyads using 24-h dietary recall and a short version of the US 12-month Household Food Security Survey Module. Nutrition knowledge and sociodemographic data were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used to check for factors associated with children’s dietary diversity. Results: Majority of households reported food insecurity, with a higher percentage of insecure households located in the rural area (88.9% vs. 46.5%, P ≤ 0.0001), compared to the urban setting. Diet diversity among the study children was low, with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) of 5.8 (2.1) out of 14 food groups. Children living in food insecure households were three times more likely to have received low diverse diet compared to those from food secure households (adjusted odds ratio [OR] =3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4–8.0). Caregivers’ nutrition knowledge was, however, not related to children’s dietary diversity. Discussion and conclusion: Household food insecurity was a main predictor of dietary diversity among school-age children in this study. Thus, caregiver knowledge in nutrition may not be enough, particularly in the presence of food insecurity to guarantee adequate nutrition for school-aged children.

Feasibility and Acceptability of ‘VitaVillage’: A Serious Game for Nutrition Education

Computer games have previously been used to improve nutrition knowledge in children. This paper describes the acceptability and feasibility of a serious game, “VitaVillage”, for improving child nutrition knowledge. VitaVillage is a farming-style game in which the player undertakes quests and completes questions aimed at increasing several aspects of nutrition and healthy eating knowledge. Children aged 9–12 years in two primary schools (control vs. intervention) completed a nutrition knowledge questionnaire at baseline (T1) and after 1 week (T2). Participants at the intervention school (n = 75) played VitaVillage for 20 minutes on two occasions. Control participants (n = 94) received no nutrition education. Likeability question scores and written feedback from intervention participants was reported qualitatively. Paired sample t-tests were used to compare T1 and T2 nutrition knowledge changes between control and intervention participants. Engagement with VitaVillage improved children’s overall nutrition knowledge (Mean increase of 2.25 points between T1 and T2, Standard Deviation (SD) 6.31, p = 0.035) compared to controls. The game was liked overall (mean score 77 (SD 24.6) on scale of 0–100) and positive feedback was given. Results indicate that VitaVillage has the potential to be successful as a nutrition education tool. In the future, VitaVillage’s content and gameplay will be revised, extended and evaluated for its long-term impact on eating behaviour and knowledge changes.

Factors Associated with Self-Efficacy Toward Healthy Eating and Physical Activity among Kuwaiti Adolescent Girls

Factors that influence adolescents’ health-related behaviors in Kuwait are unclear. We hypothesized that self-efficacy would be negatively associated with a heavier weight status and positively associated with healthy eating-related behaviors. We aimed to measure healthy eating-related parameters in a sample of Kuwaiti girls and to assess the correlates of self-efficacy. The participants of this cross-sectional study were adolescent schoolgirls. The main outcome measures were self-efficacy, dietary habits, dietary beliefs, nutrition knowledge, physical activity, and weight status per body mass index (BMI) categories. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to determine the associations among the healthy behavior-related parameter scores. Independent samples t-test was used to examine the differences in scores between participants’ characteristics and self-efficacy score (SES). Only 19.9% of the participants had high self-efficacy toward healthy eating behaviors, 20.9% had “satisfactory eating habits,” 11.3% had a good comprehension of the meanings of healthy and unhealthy dietary habits and food, 16.3% had good nutrition knowledge, and 29.2% had an active lifestyle. SES is associated negatively with BMI, and positively with all the domains of healthy eating and with physical activity. However, SES was not associated with nutritional knowledge. Adolescent girls in Kuwait demonstrated a high level of self-efficacy toward healthy eating and behaviors with firm nutritional beliefs; however, they failed to practice them. Interventional school nutrition programs could help to improve healthy behaviors among adolescents.

Determination of athlete nutrition knowledge level of university students

The aim of the study is to determine the athlete nutrition knowledge level of the students educated at Hatay Mustafa Kemal University School of Physical Education and Sports. A total of 286 students, 156 male, and 130 female, between the ages of 18-25 participated in the study voluntarily. The Sports Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (NSKQ) was used to determine the athletes' nutrition knowledge levels of the students. The Independent T-test was used to compare the groups, and the One-Way ANOVA test was used to determine the difference between the departments. As a result of the analysis, both men and women were in the weak knowledge group in the classification of nutritional knowledge. No difference was found in the comparison of the nutritional knowledge scores according to the gender variable. In the comparison of the nutritional knowledge scores according to the status of taking a nutrition course, a significant difference was determined for both the total score and the sub-variables (weight control, macronutrients, micronutrients, sports nutrition, supplement, alcohol), and it was determined that the difference was in favor of the students who took the nutrition course. It was determined that this difference was in favor of the students who took nutrition lessons. It was also determined that there was a significant difference in the sub-dimension of macronutrients in the comparison of sports nutrition knowledge scores according to the departments, and the difference was in favor of the department of recreation. When comparing the nutritional knowledge scores of male and female students according to the department variable, it was determined that there was a difference in the sub-dimension of macronutrients and this difference was in favor of the department of recreation in men and in favor of teaching department students in women. As a result, it was revealed that the nutritional knowledge level of the students in the School of Physical Education and Sports was weak. In their professional lives, it is thought that increasing the hours of compulsory nutrition lessons will be beneficial for education to be at the desired level in nutrition. ​Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file. Özet Çalışmanın amacı Hatay Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Yüksekokulunda (BESYO) eğitime-öğrenim gören öğrencilerin sporcu beslenme bilgi düzeylerinin belirlenmesidir. Çalışmaya 18-25 yaş arası 156 erkek, 130 kadın olmak üzere toplam 286 öğrenci, gönüllü olarak katılmıştır. Öğrencilerin sporcu beslenme bilgi düzeylerinin belirlenmesi için Sporcu Beslenme Bilgisi Ölçeği (SBBÖ) kullanılmıştır. Grupların karşılaştırılmasında Independent T testi, bölümler arasında farkın belirlemesinde ise One Way ANOVA testi kullanılmıştır. Analiz sonucunda hem erkekler hem de kadınlar beslenme bilgi sınıflandırılmasında zayıf bilgi grubunda yer almışlardır. Cinsiyet değişkenine göre beslenme bilgi puanlarının karşılaştırılmasında fark saptanmamıştır. Beslenme bilgi puanlarının beslenme dersi alma durumuna göre karşılaştırılmasında, hem toplam puan hem de alt değişkenler (ağırlık kontrolü, makro besin öğeleri, mikro besin öğeleri, sporcu beslenmesi, supleman, alkol) için anlamlı fark belirlenmiş, farkın beslenme dersi alan öğrenciler lehine olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bölümlere göre sporcu beslenme bilgi puan karşılaştırılmasında makro besin öğeleri alt boyutunda anlamlı fark olduğu farkın rekreasyon bölümü lehine olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Erkek ve kadın öğrencilerin bölüm değişkenine göre beslenme bilgi puan karşılaştırılmasında makro besin öğeleri alt boyutunda fark olduğu farkın erkeklerde rekreasyon kadınlarda ise öğretmenlik bölümü öğrencileri lehine olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak, BESYO’da öğrencilerin beslenme bilgi düzeylerinin zayıf olduğu, mesleki hayatlarında beslenme konusunda istenilen seviyelerde olmaları için zorunlu beslenme dersi saatlerinin arttırılmasının eğitime faydalı olacağı düşünülmektedir.

Association between nutrition knowledge, lifestyle, dietary practices and nutritional status among civil servants in western Nigeria

Nutrition knowledge plays a crucial role in promoting healthier eating practices, leading to the maintenance of healthy body weight. This is because knowledge of dietary guidelines and healthy eating habits among adults has been positively correlated. However, in terms of dietary habits, presumptions that the supposed civil servants in some parts of Western Nigeria are knowledgeable about basic dietary practices are yet to be explored. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the nutrition knowledge, lifestyle, dietary practices, and nutritional status among men and women civil servants in Ado, Ekiti State, Nigeria. A structured interviewer questionnaire was administered to civil servants (180 male and 220 female elderly respondents, <60years old) to collect data on economic and socio-demographic characteristics, nutrition knowledge, lifestyle, and dietary habits. Anthropometric measurements were also taken. The quantitative were coded, collated, and analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data from categorical variables. Chi-square test, at a 5% confidence level, was used to establish any significant relationship between food intake parameters and nutrition knowledge. Most of the respondents (66.7%) were affected by the delayed payment of their monthly salaries. The total knowledge scores revealed that 13.25%, 41.25% and 45.50% of the respondents had poor, fair and good nutrition knowledge, respectively. Unfortunately, this higher nutrition knowledge does not translate into good dietary habits. Data obtained revealed bad eating habits, as a more significant percentage of the respondents regularly ate high-fat foods (99.5%), ate outside the home (85.3%) and did not take vegetables (83.3%) nor fruits (60%) daily. There exists, however, a significant and positive relationship between nutrition knowledge and physical activity (P=0.043), high-fat foods consumption (P<0.001), daily fruits consumption (P<0.001) and vegetable consumption (P<0.001). In conclusion, the discrepancy between the respondents' high nutrition knowledge and their seemingly poor lifestyle and dietary behaviour show that nutrition knowledge alone does not translate into good dietary behaviour.

A Glimpse of the Sports Nutrition Awareness in Spanish Basketball Players

Basketball is a team sport, with many fans and practitioners worldwide from all ages and levels. In all cases, players accumulate high levels of fatigue, and there is also limited time to recover between games or practices. In particular, nutrition plays a key role in optimizing performance and recovery. However, it is typical to observe erroneous nutritional behaviors among basketball players. It has been theorized that these behaviors are influenced by habits acquired based on the individual’s knowledge. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to conduct a descriptive research of the sports nutrition knowledge and practices in a sample of Spanish basketball players, from athletes under 18 years old (n = 69) to nonprofessional (n = 14) and professional adult players (n = 21). The sample was comprised of 49 men and 55 women. This was a transversal, cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study. All participants (n = 104) completed an anonymous online survey in order to analyze their sports nutrition knowledge and practices. In view of the obtained results, we can conclude that the knowledge of sport-specific nutrition in players under 18 years old, as well as non-professional and professional adult basketball players, is insufficient through all the categories and levels. The lack of professional support and time management difficulties were identified as some of the main barriers.