. Janette Bedoyan; . Jade McNamara; . Melissa D. Olfert; . Carol Byrd‑Bredbenner; . Geoffrey W. Greene
Volume 11, Issue 1 , January 2021, , Pages 1-8
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Critical nutrition literacy (CNL) plays an important role in how college students makeeveryday decisions about nutrition choices. Increasing CNL is an aim of many introductory ...
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BACKGROUND: Critical nutrition literacy (CNL) plays an important role in how college students makeeveryday decisions about nutrition choices. Increasing CNL is an aim of many introductory nutritioncourses, but there are limited instruments measuring this construct. This study aimed to assess thechangeability of CNL and the relationship between CNL and markers of diet quality in young adults.DESIGN: This was a two‑phase research project consisting of a nonexperimental, pre–post studyand a cross‑sectional assessment from 2018 to 2019. Participants were U.S. college students,18‑24 years old, recruited from introductory‑level courses from three participating universities, locatedin Rhode Island, West Virginia, and New Jersey.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Interventions consisted of (1) a 4‑credit, 13‑week nutrition courseand (2) a cross‑sectional, online behavior, environment, and perception survey. CNL was measuredusing the Revised CNL Tool (CNLT‑R) instrument across both phases. Measures for phasesinclude: (1) the changeability of CNL and (2) the relationship between CNL and markers of diet quality.ANALYSIS: Paired t‑tests and multivariate analysis of variance were utilized through SPSSversion 25.0.RESULTS: CNL score significantly increased from baseline to postintervention from 3.38 ± 0.48 to3.61 ± 0.55 (P = 0.014). There was an overall significant effect of CNL on markers of diet quality, suchas cups of fruits and vegetables (F/V) and teaspoons of added sugar (F [2,1321] = 3.12, P < 0.05;Wilks’ Λ = 0.99).CONCLUSIONS: This research found that an introduction to nutrition course was associated withan increase in CNL and that CNL is related to diet quality. The instrument could be used by nutritioneducators as an outcome assessment. Future research should investigate other components of theCNL construct as well as predictive validity.