School of Occupational and Public Health, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada.
School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.
Nutr J. 2023 Mar 16;22(1):19. doi: 10.1186/s12937-023-00844-x.
Nutrition knowledge is an important determinant of diet-related behaviour; however, the use of disparate assessment tools creates challenges for comparing nutrition knowledge levels and correlates across studies, geographic contexts, and populations. Using the Food Processing Knowledge (FoodProK) score - a measure of nutrition knowledge based on consumers' ability to understand and apply the concept of food processing in a functional task - nutrition knowledge levels and associated correlates were assessed in five countries.
Adults, aged ≥18 years, were recruited through the Nielsen Consumer Insights Global Panel in Australia (n = 3997), Canada (n = 4170), Mexico (n = 4044), the United Kingdom (UK) (n = 5363), and the United States (US) (n = 4527). Respondents completed web-based surveys in November-December 2018. Functional nutrition knowledge was measured using the FoodProK score. Linear regression models examined associations between FoodProK score and sociodemographic, dietary behaviours, and knowledge-related characteristics.
FoodProK scores (maximum, 8 points) were highest in Canada (mean: 5.1) and Australia (5.0), followed by the UK (4.8), Mexico (4.7), and the US (4.6). Health literacy and self-rated nutrition knowledge were positively associated with FoodProK scores (p < .001). FoodProK scores were higher among those who reported vegetarian/other dietary practices (p < .001); made efforts to consume less sodium, trans fats, or sugars (p < .001); ≥60 years (p = 0.002), female (p < .001), and 'majority' ethnic group respondents in their respective countries (p < .001).
This study found differences in consumers' ability to distinguish levels of food processing for common foods, with somewhat lower levels of nutrition knowledge in countries with the highest intake of highly processed foods. Nutrition knowledge differences based on consumer characteristics highlight the need for accessible policy interventions that support uptake of healthy eating efforts across populations to avoid exacerbating nutrition-related disparities. Tools such as the FoodProK can be used to evaluate the impact of policies targeting nutrition knowledge across contexts.
营养知识是决定饮食行为的一个重要因素；然而，由于使用了不同的评估工具，在比较不同研究、地理背景和人群的营养知识水平和相关因素时，会面临挑战。本研究使用基于消费者在功能任务中理解和应用食品加工概念能力的食品加工知识（FoodProK）评分，评估了五个国家/地区的营养知识水平和相关因素。
2018 年 11 月至 12 月，通过尼尔森消费者洞察全球小组在澳大利亚（n=3997）、加拿大（n=4170）、墨西哥（n=4044）、英国（n=5363）和美国（n=4527）招募年龄≥18 岁的成年人。参与者完成了在线调查。使用 FoodProK 评分测量功能性营养知识。线性回归模型分析了 FoodProK 评分与社会人口统计学、饮食行为和知识相关特征之间的关联。
加拿大（平均值：5.1）和澳大利亚（5.0）的 FoodProK 评分最高，其次是英国（4.8）、墨西哥（4.7）和美国（4.6）。健康素养和自我评估的营养知识与 FoodProK 评分呈正相关（p<0.001）。报告素食/其他饮食方式的参与者（p<0.001）、努力减少钠、反式脂肪或糖摄入的参与者（p<0.001）、≥60 岁的参与者（p=0.002）、女性（p<0.001）以及其所在国家/地区的“多数”族裔受访者（p<0.001）的 FoodProK 评分更高。
本研究发现消费者区分常见食品加工水平的能力存在差异，在高度加工食品摄入量最高的国家，营养知识水平略低。基于消费者特征的营养知识差异突出表明，需要采取可及性政策干预措施，支持在不同人群中实施健康饮食工作，以避免加剧与营养相关的差异。FoodProK 等工具可用于评估针对不同背景下营养知识的政策的影响。
