Exploring the relationship of sources of nutrition information sought and perceived reliability with nutrition knowledge level among women
Creators: name: Davis, Sarah
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2022

description: Recent and continuous rising rates of chronic disease in the United States continue to be a cause for concern and have drawn attention to the role that nutrition and dietary patterns play in chronic disease development and prevention. Specifically, poor diet quality has been associated with higher rates of chronic disease, and adequate nutrition knowledge has been shown to promote favorable dietary behaviors. Women, in particular, are a targeted audience for current research on dietary habits, as they have a strong influence on the eating patterns of their families. However, most current literature focuses only on the nutrition knowledge and habits of pregnant women, rather than all women. Thus, to fill the gaps in the literature the objective of this study was to explore the relationship between sources of nutrition information sought and nutrition knowledge among English-speaking women age18 to 64 years. This cross-sectional study was an online survey using Qualtrics® that comprised of the revised version of the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ-R) along with self-reported heights and weights and demographic information. The GNKQ-R had 45 scales that assessed knowledge of dietary recommendations in the U.S., knowledge of nutrient sources, daily food choices, and knowledge of the diet-disease relationship. A total of 398 English-speaking women ages 18 to 64 years consented and completed the online survey. The study population was mostly white (86.8%) and highly educated (46.5%) with bachelor’s degree or higher). Average BMI of participants was 27.41±6.06 indicating most were overweight. The most frequently sought source of nutrition information for all participants was the Internet (88.4%), and healthcare workers were perceived to be the most reliable (very reliable = 67.1% and absolutely right = 11.6%). TV, radio, or newspaper sources were perceived to be the least reliable (not reliable = 28.6%). Less frequently reported sources of nutrition information were friends (28.6%), family (27.4%), and TV, radio, or newspaper (8.3%). Average GNKQ scores were 38.10±5.05SD out of a total possible score of 51 indicating middle to high general nutrition knowledge. After using a median cut-off score for high and low GNK groups, women in the high GNK group (n=199, 50%) were significantly (p&lt;0.05) more likely to first seek nutritional advice from the Internet (46.2% vs. 40.7%) or a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (27.6% vs. 22.1%) compared to the low GNK group. Additionally, women in the low GNK group were significantly (p&lt;0.05) more likely to seek food and nutrition information from friends (33.7% vs. 23.6%) and family (32.7% vs. 22.1%) and less likely from healthcare workers (31.7% vs. 42.2%) compared to those in the high GNK group. Independent t-tests also showed that women in the high GNK scores were significantly more likely to frequently seek food and nutrition information from healthcare workers (2.33±0.05SD vs. 2.17±0.06SD; 4-point scale) and less likely from family members (2.09±0.05SD vs. 2.24±0.05SD; 4-point scale) compared to women with low GNK. However, effects sizes were small as determined by Cohen’s d. Furthermore, women with low GNK reported family (2.02±0.05SD vs. 1.80±0.04SD; 4-point scale) and friends (1.99±0.04SD vs. 1.83±0.04SD; 4-point scale) as being perceived to have significantly more reliable food and nutrition information compared to women with high GNK, but effect sizes were small. Results indicate the significance of using healthcare workers as accurate sources of nutrition information over sources such as media, family, and friends. Findings emphasize the need for increased nutrition knowledge among women, as well as increased capacity for healthcare providers to educate their patients on the importance of nutrition. Women are aware of the reliability of healthcare workers so increasing the ease of accessibility of accurate nutrition information may further contribute to healthier dietary habits and improved overall health outcomes.