Do the Sociodemographic Factors and Body Mass Index Have an Impact on Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices?

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, üniversite öğrencilerinin gıda güvenliği bilgi düzeyi, tutum ve davranışları ile bazı sosyodemografik faktörler ve beden kütle indeksi (BKİ) arasındaki ilişkinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırma Ankara’daki çeşitli üniversitelerde eğitim almakta olan 1243 kız ve 404 erkek olmak üzere toplam 1647 gönüllü öğrencinin katılımı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma verileri yüzyüze görüşme yöntemi ile demografik bilgiler (15 madde), gıda güvenliği bilgileri (40 madde), gıda güvenliği tutumu (15 madde) ve gıda güvenliği davranışları (25 madde) ile ilgili bilgileri içeren toplam 95 maddeden oluşan bir anket aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Öğrencilerin vücut ağırlığı ve boy uzunluğu ölçümleri araştırmacılar tarafından alınarak BKİ hesaplanmış ve Dünya Sağlık Örgütü sınıflaması kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Kadınlarda gıda güvenliği bilgi puanı (GGBP) (27.3±5.54 karşın 25.1±5.64, p<0.001), gıda güvenliği tutum puanı (GGTP) (14.5±4.02 karşın 12.6±4.36, p<0.001) ve gıda güvenliği davranış puanı (GGDP) (14.5±4.02 karşın 12.6±4.36, p<0.001) erkeklerden istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde daha yüksek bulunmuştur. Toplam GGBP, GGTP ve GGDP’nın sağlık alanında eğitim alan öğrencilerde diğer alanlara kıyasla anlamlı düzeyde daha yüksek olduğu saptanmıştır. Zayıf ve normal vücut ağırlığında olanlarla karşılaştırıldığında, obez grupta yer alan öğrencilerin gıda güvenliği bilgi, tutum ve davranışlarının her üçünden de aldıkları puan ortalamalarının istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede daha düşük olduğu belirlenmiştir. Beden kütle indeksi arttıkça gıda güvenliği bilgi, tutum ve davranış puanlarının tümünün istatistiksel olarak önemli düzeyde azaldığı belirlenmiştir (sırasıyla, r=-0.106, p<0.001; r=-0.130, p<0.001; r=-0.095, p<0.001). Çalışmanın sonuçları gıda güvenliği bilgi, tutum ve davranışları üzerine cinsiyet ve BKİ farklılıklarını ortaya koyduğu gibi sağlık eğitiminin pozitif etkisini de göstermiştir. Gıda güvenliği bilgisinin arttırılması ve bu bilginin tutum ve davranışlara yansıtılması için konuyla ilgili planlanacak eğitimlerde özellikle erkekler, obez grupta olan öğrenciler ve sosyal/fen alanında eğitim alan öğrencilere öncelik verilmesinin yararlı olacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

• Gıda güvenliği
• Bilgi
• Tutum
• Davranış
• Üniversite öğrencileri

Do the Sociodemographic Factors and Body Mass Index Have an Impact on Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices?

Abstract

It was aimed to evaluate the relation between food safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior, with some socio-demographic factors and body mass index (BMI). The study was conducted on 1647 volunteer university students (1243 females and 404 males) attending at various universities in Ankara, Turkey. The data was collected via a questionnaire applied face to face interview which consisted of totally 95 items on demographic information (15 items), food safety knowledge (40 items), food safety attitude (15 items), and food safety behavior (25 items). Weight and height of the students were measured by the researches, and BMI was calculated and evaluated using World Health Organization classification. Food safety knowledge scores (FSKS) (27.3±5.54 versus 25.1±5.64, p<0.001), food safety attitude scores (FSAS) (14.5±4.02 versus 12.6±4.36, p<0.001) and food safety behavior scores (FSBS) (14.5±4.02 versus 12.6±4.36, p<0.001) were found to be statistically higher in women than males. Total FSKS, FSAS, and FSBS were significantly higher in the students educated in the field of health compared to others. FSKS, FSAS, and FSBS of the obese group were significantly lower than normal weight and underweight groups. As BMI increased, FSKS, FSAS, and FSBS were significantly decreased (r=-0.106, p<0.001; r=-0.130, p<0.001; r=-0.095, p<0.001, respectively). The results of this study reveal the gender and BMI differences on food safety knowledge, food safety attitudes, and food safety practices, and also has shown positive impact of health education status. In order to increase food safety knowledge and to reflect this knowledge on attitudes and behaviors, it is thought that it will be beneficial to give priority to male students, students in the obese group, and students studying in the field of social and science in the trainings to be planned on the subject.

Keywords

• Food safety
• Knowledge
• Attitude
• Behavior
• University students

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