The effect of nutrition knowledge on dietary intake among Croatian university students.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between nutrition knowledge and dietary intakes among university students. The students (264 males and 741 females) were asked to answer a validated General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire and to fulfil a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Gender, university status (freshmen, juniors, seniors) and eating arrangements (home, restaurants, self-cooking) were used as predictors of the relationship between nutrition knowledge and dietary intake. The findings indicated that women (p = 0.008), senior students (p < 0.001) and those who prepare food for themselves (p = 0.038) have higher nutrition knowledge scores. The assessment of nutrition knowledge had parallels in dietary intake, and adherence to the dietary recommendations was significantly associated with nutrition knowledge scores (p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed differences in daily intakes of grains (p < 0.001), meat and beans group (p < 0.001), vegetables (p < 0.001), fruits (p = 0.002) and oils (p < 0.001) in relation to all predictors. However nutrition knowledge acted as a modifier of the influence of eating arrangements. Logistic regression has shown that students with the highest nutrition knowledge are twelve times more likely to have a diet in accordance to recommendations compared to students with the lowest level of knowledge ([OR] = 12.03, 95% [CI] = 6.64-21.79, p < 0.001). The results support the value of including nutrition knowledge in health education campaigns targeting the student population with the aim of improving their dietary intake.