Evaluation of attitudes, behaviors and knowledge levels of students functional foods

Year 2023, Volume: 4 Issue: 5, 555 - 560, 27.10.2023

Nurgül Arslan Hacer Alataş

https://doi.org/10.47582/jompac.1343562

Abstract

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to determine the knowledge level of students studying at a public university in Malatya, about functional foods, and to evaluate the factors affecting their attitudes and behaviors.
Material and methods: A total of 618 individuals, 363 women and 255 men, studying at universities in Malatya were included in the study. Research data were collected by face-to-face survey method. The questionnaire consists of questions about demographic characteristics, questions about eating habits, questions about general health, anthropometric measurements (body weight, height) and functional foods knowledge level and food preference scale sections. The data were analyzed using the SPSS program.
Results: The mean age of the individuals participating in the study was 23.15±4.25 years. It was determined that 65.04% of the individuals had heard the term functional food before. It was determined that the YETBİD-Basic Nutritional Knowledge Scores were higher in females (54.66±8.85) than males (51.14±8.22) (p=0.031). Individuals' knowledge attitude scale confidence subheading score for functional foods was found to be higher in women (3.95±1.04) than in men (3.15±1.04) (p=0.044). It was observed that as the basic nutrition score increased in both women and men, the score of the attitude scale towards functional foods also increased. In the multiple regression, it was determined that the total score of the attitude scale towards functional foods was significantly affected by the variables of female gender, duration of education, basic nutrition score, and food preference score (p<0.05).
Conclusion: It was determined that as the education level of the individuals increased, the level of basic nutrition knowledge increased and it affected the attitude towards functional foods. It has been determined that women have higher nutritional knowledge levels than men, they find functional foods more reliable and they are more inclined to consume.

Keywords

functional foods, nutrition, university students

Supporting Institution

No

Project Number

No

Thanks

all participants

Üniversite öğrencilerinin fonksiyonel besinlere yönelik tutum, davranış ve bilgi düzeyinin değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada Malatya ilinde kamu üniversitesinde eğitim alan öğrencilerin fonksiyonel besinlere yönelik bilgi düzeylerini belirlemek, tutumlarını ve davranışlarını etkileyen faktörleri değerlendirmek amaçlanmıştır.
Materyal-Method: Çalışmaya Malatya ilinde üniversitelerde öğrenim gören 363 kadın ve 255 erkek olmak üzere toplam 618 birey dahil edilmiştir. Araştırma verileri yüz yüze anket yöntemi ile toplanmıştır. Anket formu demografik özelliklere ilişkin sorular, beslenme alışkanlıklarına ilişkin sorular, genel sağlık durumuna ilişkin sorular, antropometrik ölçümler (vücut ağırlığı, boy uzunluğu) ve fonksiyonel besinler bilgi düzeyi ve besin tercihi ölçeği bölümlerinden oluşmaktadır. Veriler SPSS programı kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir.
Bulgular: Çalışmaya katılan bireylerin yaş ortalaması 23.15±4.25 yıldır. Bireylerin %65.04’ünün daha önce fonksiyonel besin terimini duyduğu saptanmıştır. YETBİD-Temel Beslenme Bilgisi Puanın kadınlarda (54.66±8.85), erkeklere (51.14±8.22) göre daha yüksek puan ortalamalarına sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir (p=0.031). Bireylerin fonksiyonel besinler için bilgi tutum ölçeği güven alt başlığı puanı kadınlarda (3.95±1.04), erkeklere (3.15±1.04) göre daha yüksek saptanmıştır (p=0.044). Temel beslenme puanı hem kadınlarda hem erkeklerde yükseldikçe fonksiyonel besinlere yönelik tutum ölçeği puanının da artığı görülmüştür. Yapılan çoklu regresyonda fonksiyonel besinlere yönelik tutum ölçeği toplam puanını kadın cinsiyet, eğitim süresi, temel beslenme puanı, besin tercihi puanı değişkenlerinin anlamlı olarak etkilediği belirlenmiştir (p<0.05).
Sonuç: Bireylerin eğitim düzeyi arttıkça, temel beslenme bilgi düzeyinin arttığı ve fonksiyonel besinlere yönelik tutumu etkilediği belirlenmiştir. Kadınların erkeklere göre beslenme bilgi düzeylerinin daha yüksek olduğu, fonksiyonel besinleri daha güvenilir buldukları ve tüketmeye daha yatkın oldukları saptanmıştır.
Anahtar Kelimeler: beslenme, bilgi düzeyi, fonksiyonel besinler,

Keywords

beslenme, bilgi düzeyi, fonksiyonel besinler, üniversite öğrencileri

Project Number

No

References

• Granato D, Barba FJ, Bursać Kovačević D, Lorenzo JM, Cruz AG, Putnik P. Functional foods: product development, technological trends, efficacy testing, and safety. Annu Rev Food Sci Technol. 2020;11:93-118.
• Baker MT, Lu P, Parrella JA, Leggette HR. Consumer acceptance toward functional foods: a scoping review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(3):1217.
• Alkhatib A. Antiviral functional foods and exercise lifestyle prevention of coronavirus. Nutrients. 2020;12(9):2633.
• Nazir M, Arif S, Khan RS, Nazir W, Khalid N, Maqsood S. Opportunities and challenges for functional and medicinal beverages: Current and future trends. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2019;88:513-526.
• Aguiar LM, Geraldi MV, Cazarin CBB, Junior MRM. Functional food consumption and its physiological effects. Bioactive compounds: Elsevier; 2019;205-225.
• Baker MT, Lu P, Parrella JA, Leggette HR. Investigating the effect of consumers’ knowledge on their acceptance of functional foods: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Foods. 2022;11(8):1135.
• Noce A, Di Lauro M, Di Daniele F, et al. Natural bioactive compounds useful in clinical management of metabolic syndrome. Nutrients. 2021;13(2):630.
• Ali A, Rahut DB. Healthy foods as proxy for functional foods: consumers’ awareness, perception, and demand for natural functional foods in Pakistan. Int J Food Sci. 2019;2019:6390650.
• Karelakis C, Zevgitis P, Galanopoulos K, Mattas K. Consumer trends and attitudes to functional foods. J Int Food Agribusiness Market. 2020;32(3):266-294.
• Alongi M, Anese M. Re-thinking functional food development through a holistic approach. J Function Foods. 2021;81:104466.
• Weir CB, Jan A. BMI classification percentile and cut off points. StatPearls Publishing. 2019.
• Urala N, Lähteenmäki L. Consumers’ changing attitudes towards functional foods. Food Qual Preference. 2007;18(1):1-12.
• Batmaz H, Güneş E. Development of a nutrition knowledge level scale for adults and validation reliability study. Master’s Thesis, Marmara University. 2018.
• Sikand G, Kris-Etherton P, Boulos NM. Impact of functional foods on prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Curr Cardiol Rep. 2015;17:1-16.
• Martirosyan D. The emerging potential of functional foods in viral disease prevention. Bioactive Compounds Health Dis. 2020;3(6):95-99.
• Papp-Bata Á, Csiki Z, Szakály Z. Consumer behavior toward functional foods. The role of authentic information. Orvosi Hetilap. 2018;159(30):1221-1225.
• Nystrand BT, Olsen SO. Consumers’ attitudes and intentions toward consuming functional foods in Norway. Food Qual Preference. 2020;80:103827.
• Hudak KM, Racine EF, Schulkind L. An increase in SNAP benefits did not impact food security or diet quality in youth. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2021;121(3):507-519. e12.
• Sogari G, Velez-Argumedo C, Gómez MI, Mora C. College students and eating habits: A study using an ecological model for healthy behavior. Nutrients. 2018;10(12):1823.
• Almoraie NM, Saqaan R, Alharthi R, Alamoudi A, Badh L, Shatwan IM. Snacking patterns throughout the life span: potential implications on health. Nutr Res. 2021;91:81-94.
• Gok I, Ulu EK. Functional foods in Turkey: marketing, consumer awareness and regulatory aspects. Nutr Food Sci. 2019;49(4):668-686.
• González-Díaz C, Vilaplana-Aparicio MJ, Iglesias-García M. How is functional food advertising understood? an approximation in university students. Nutrients. 2020;12(11):3312.
• Chen P-J, Antonelli M. Conceptual models of food choice: influential factors related to foods, individual differences, and society. Foods. 2020;9(12):1898.
• Yücel EK, Ozkan P, Yücel E. The relationship between consumer innovativeness and attitudes toward functional food: an application on university students. Int J Economic Administrative Stud. 2018;265-280.
• Annunziata A, Vecchio R. Functional foods development in the European market: A consumer perspective. J Function Foods. 2011;3(3):223-228.
• Markovina J, Čačić J, Gajdoš Kljusurić J, Kovačić D. Young consumers’ perception of functional foods in Croatia. Br Food J. 2011;113(1):7-16.
• Landström E, Hursti U-KK, Magnusson M. “Functional foods compensate for an unhealthy lifestyle”. Some Swedish consumers’ impressions and perceived need of functional foods. Appetite. 2009;53(1):34-43.
• Arayici ME, Yucel U, Ocek ZA. Knowledge and attitudes of Ege University midwifery, nutrition-dietetic, and nursing students about natural functional foods. J Basic Clin Health Sci. 2020;4(3):364-370.
• Ares G, Gámbaro A. Influence of gender, age and motives underlying food choice on perceived healthiness and willingness to try functional foods. Appetite. 2007;49(1):148-158.
• Chang M-K, Kim Y. Assessment of functional food consumption among the working women in Korea. Korean J Nutr. 2008:832-838.
• Sevilmiş G, Olgun A, Artukoğlu M. A research on factors which determines the effect of consumer decisions about functional products: The case of Izmir. EGE J Agricultur Res. 2017;54(3):351-360.