Kucharska Alicja, Sińska Beata Irena, Panczyk Mariusz, Samel-Kowalik Piotr, Raciborski Filip, Czerwonogrodzka-Senczyna Aneta, Boniecka Iwona, Traczyk Iwona
Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
Department of Education and Research in Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
Front Public Health. 2025 Aug 21;13:1613598. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1613598. eCollection 2025.
Nutritional knowledge is a recognized determinant of dietary behaviors, though its impact may vary with sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. To capture such interactions and population variability, advanced methods like moderation and latent class analyses are needed. This study aimed to examine the relationship between nutritional knowledge and diet quality among Polish adults, accounting for socioeconomic determinants, and to identify subgroups at risk of poorer dietary patterns.
A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from two nationally representative surveys (2017-2020), totaling 4,000 adults. Nutritional knowledge was measured with the validated KomPAN questionnaire, and diet quality was assessed with the Diet Quality Index (DQI). Associations were tested via linear regression, moderation analysis explored interactions between knowledge and demographics, and latent class analysis (LCA) identified dietary lifestyle subgroups.
The mean DQI score was -0.79 (SD = 13.40). Higher nutritional knowledge ( = 0.87, < 0.001) and higher education were positively associated with diet quality. Women and older adults had better diets; smoking and alcohol consumption were linked to poorer outcomes. Multivariate models confirmed nutritional knowledge, sex, and age as independent predictors. The beneficial effect of knowledge was weaker in older adults ( = -0.49, < 0.001). LCA revealed three profiles; the poorest diets occurred among younger men with low knowledge and unhealthy behaviors, and younger adults with higher socioeconomic status.
Nutritional knowledge supports better diet quality but may not suffice especially in older adults. Tailored public health strategies are needed for vulnerable groups, including younger men with low knowledge and those with higher socioeconomic status but poor diets.
营养知识是饮食行为的一个公认决定因素，尽管其影响可能因社会人口统计学和生活方式因素而异。为了捕捉这种相互作用和人群差异，需要采用如调节分析和潜在类别分析等先进方法。本研究旨在探讨波兰成年人营养知识与饮食质量之间的关系，考虑社会经济决定因素，并识别饮食模式较差风险的亚组。
使用来自两项具有全国代表性调查（2017 - 2020年）的数据进行横断面研究，共有4000名成年人。营养知识用经过验证的KomPAN问卷进行测量，饮食质量用饮食质量指数（DQI）进行评估。通过线性回归测试关联，调节分析探索知识与人口统计学之间的相互作用，潜在类别分析（LCA）识别饮食生活方式亚组。
DQI平均得分为 -0.79（标准差 = 13.40）。更高的营养知识（β = 0.87，p < 0.001）和更高的教育程度与饮食质量呈正相关。女性和老年人的饮食更好；吸烟和饮酒与较差的结果相关。多变量模型确认营养知识、性别和年龄为独立预测因素。知识的有益作用在老年人中较弱（β = -0.49，p < 0.001）。LCA揭示了三种模式；饮食最差的是知识水平低且有不健康行为的年轻男性，以及社会经济地位较高的年轻人。
营养知识有助于提高饮食质量，但可能并不足够，尤其是在老年人中。需要为弱势群体制定有针对性的公共卫生策略，包括知识水平低的年轻男性以及社会经济地位较高但饮食较差的人群。
