Investigation of Healthy Nutrition Attitudes of Associate Degree Students Taking Nutrition Course: The Case of Iğdır University

Abstract

In this study, university students' attitudes towards nutrition were examined in terms of different variables. The study was designed with a general screening model and the "Attitude Scale towards Healthy Nutrition (HBITS)" consisting of 21 items was used to collect the data of the study. The research was conducted with 203 associate degree students studying at Iğdır University in the 2020-2021 academic year and taking nutrition courses. These students were selected from the child development, sports management, disabled care and rehabilitation program at Tuzluca Vocational School, where nutrition courses are available, for ease of accessibility. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test were used to analyze the data obtained from the research. Results obtained from the research; According to the gender variable of university students' attitudes towards healthy eating, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the students' SBITS mean scores. The findings obtained from the research showed a significant difference in the SBIÖ score averages in favor of students who do not eat when full, do not consume packaged food, read nutritional label information, and do not smoke. According to the variable of whether or not they use social media resources to obtain information about nutrition, a statistically significant difference was found between the SBITS mean scores (yes-sometimes) in favor of those who follow social media on nutrition. It was determined that the students' SBIÖ score averages differed significantly according to the program variable and this difference was in favor of the disabled care and rehabilitation program students. As a result of the research, it was determined that the majority of associate degree students had a high level of healthy nutrition attitudes.