Nutrition literacy is associated with income and place of residence but not with diet behavior and food security in the Palestinian society

Abstract

Introduction Palestinian society is going through health transition that is associated with increase in chronic diseases due to poor dietary habits so adequate integration of nutrition information is important. Aims The aim of this study is to find the association between nutrition literacy and diet behavior among a group of Palestinian participants. Methods A sample of 101 Palestinian participants were recruited to participate in the study. An online survey was used to collect study data. Newest Vital Sign quiz was used to collect information on nutrition literacy and Short Format of the Diet Health and Knowledge Survey (SFDHKS) was used to collect information on diet behavior and USDA food security questionnaire was used to collect data on food security. Data was analyzed utilizing SPSS 21. Results This study included 101 participants, mean age 22.7 y ± 8.7 y, mainly females (females were 83.2% and males were 16.8%). 5.7% of the study participants were obese, 13.8% overweight and 10.3% were underweight. The prevalence of adequate nutrition literacy was 29%. There was minimal association between diet behavior and nutrition literacy, food security and BMI categories, but significant association with income and living in city relative to village (p < 0.05). Only 11 participants had some form of food insecurity. Conclusion There is low prevalence of adequate nutrition literacy. Nutrition literacy depends on social and economic aspects but further research is need to understand its relationship to diet behavior.

Association Between Nutrition Literacy and Overweight/Obesity of Adolescents: A Cross–Sectional Study in Chongqing, China

“…Our previous studies found that BMI is a determinant of NL among middle school students in Chongqing, China ( 24 ). Using multinomial logistic regression model and subgroup analyses, our findings suggested inverse relationships between NL, FNL, and overweight/obesity, different from some previous studies ( 11 , 18 ). Several explanations were considered for these findings.…”

“…Existing studies on the association between NL and overweight/obesity were primarily conducted in adults ( 17 ). One study has revealed no association between NL with BMI ( 18 ). However, another research has shown that lower NL is more problematic for weight loss ( 19 ).…”

The Association Between Bangladeshi Adults’ Demographics, Personal Beliefs, and Nutrition Literacy: Evidence From a Cross-Sectional Survey

“…In addition, income is one of the crucial indicators that could show the impact of socio-economic status on nutrition literacy ( 28 ). Corroborating the finding of other previous studies ( 32 , 43 , 57 ), the present findings show that respondents with a family income above 40,000 BDT/month reported higher nutrition literacy scores.…”

“…A previous study among adults in Sivas province of Turkey reported a correlation between the mean nutrition literacy scores and variables such as gender, education and profession ( 27 ). A recent study among Palestinian adults demonstrated that nutrition literacy is associated with income and place of residence ( 28 ). The nutrition status of individuals living in South Asia has been well documented ( 29 , 30 ), yet, the knowledge on risk factors associated with adults’ nutrition literacy is minimal, specifically in Bangladesh a country with a significant level of malnutrition.…”

“…A handful of studies have been conducted on nutrition literacy among different subgroups of the population (i.e., adolescents, students, and adults) in Turkey ( 24 , 26 ), Taiwan ( 31 ), Iran ( 21 , 32 ), Palestine ( 28 ). However, there is a lack of available evidence investigating adults’ nutrition literacy, demographics, and personal beliefs in Bangladesh.…”