Examining the Correlates of Adolescent Food and Nutrition Knowledge in London, Ontario
Abstract
Food literacy is a set of skills and knowledge that are integral to diet. It is common among teenagers to not have basic food literacy skills needed to consume a healthy diet. This exploratory study examined: (1) the current state of food and nutrition knowledge among adolescents in grades 9-12 in the London-Middlesex region of Ontario; and (2) predictors of food knowledge among adolescents. Data for this study were drawn from baseline youth and parent survey data collected for the SmartAPPetite project, a smartphone application-based intervention study which aims to improve food and nutrition knowledge and dietary habits of adolescents. Statistical analysis of the survey data indicates that higher household education and higher median neighbourhood family income, the use of mobile health applications, liking to cook, as well as confidence in reading and understanding food labels were all consistently associated with increased food and nutrition knowledge. Results of this thesis may help guide policymakers, researchers, and public health professionals in developing appropriate food and nutrition programs and curriculums to combat the decline in food literacy skills.