Mapping Nutritional Literacy: A Cross-Sectional study on socio-economic influences among university students in Quetta, Pakistan

Abstract

Introduction: Nutritional literacy is a crucial determinant of individuals' dietary behaviors and health outcomes, particularly among young adults. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the nutritional literacy levels and explore the socio-economic influences among university students in Quetta, Pakistan. Drawing upon existing literature, socio-economic variables such as educational level, employment status, and income were hypothesized to be associated with nutritional literacy among the study population. Methods: A convenient sampling method was employed to recruit 351 university students from various disciplines and educational backgrounds. Data were collected using a validated Nutritional Literacy Assessment Questionnaire, which measured participants' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to nutrition. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses, including chi-square tests , was conducted to examine the associations between socio-economic variables and nutritional literacy. Results: The mean age of the participants was 25.43 years, with a relatively equal distribution of male (52.4%) and female (47.6%) participants. Descriptive analyses revealed that 50% of the participants belonged to the low-income category, while 37.3% were classified as having a moderate income level. Furthermore, 49.3% of the participants had a bachelor's education, while 50.7% were pursuing master's level education. Employment status analysis indicated that 50.4% of the participants were employed, whereas 49.6% were unemployed. Chi-square tests indicated a significant association between nutritional literacy and educational level (p < 0.001), with higher educational attainment positively correlated with greater nutritional literacy. However, no significant association was found between nutritional literacy and employment status (p > 0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the importance of educational attainment in influencing nutritional literacy levels among university students in Quetta, Pakistan. While employment status did not emerge as a significant predictor of nutritional literacy, addressing broader socio-economic disparities remains crucial for promoting healthier dietary behaviors and improving overall nutritional health outcomes in this population. Public health interventions and educational initiatives targeting nutritional literacy should prioritize strategies that address socio-economic inequalities and provide equitable access to education and resources. iv Food inadequacy is a major public health concern that is mostly caused by a lack of knowledge about nutrition-related topics and has a key role in the development of chronic diseases. Health literacy, or HL, is a theoretical framework that has been utilized to support the international effort to address this problem. "Food literacy" (FL) has been a common term used to describe nutritional literacy. From this perspective, NL just means having the capacity to understand nutritional information Keywords: Nutritional literacy, university students, socio-economic factors, Quetta, Pakistan, educational level, employment status, income, dietary behaviors