学生の包括的ヘルスリテラシーが食行動に与える影響: パス解析による因果モデルの検証

抄録

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the relationship between students' comprehensive health literacy and eating behavior, constructing and validating a causal model of the influence of comprehensive health literacy on eating habits. Furthermore, it explores how gender can be used to encourage young men and women to apply comprehensive health literacy to support students' eating-related health.

Methods: Valid responses from 776 students from 6 colleges in 6 prefectures in Japan were analyzed. The causal model established associations between comprehensive health literacy, measured with the 27-item comprehensive health literacy scale for young adults, and dietary behaviors (intake of six food groups; intake of meals combining staple foods, main dishes, and side dishes, and checking nutritional labels when purchasing foods). The responses were statistically analyzed using path analysis.

Results: The goodness-of-fit index values for the final causal model indicated that the causal model fit the data well (goodness of fit index = .999, adjusted goodness of fit index = .992, comparative fit index = .999, and root mean square error of approximation = .015). A significant positive path was indicated for “checking nutritional labels when purchasing foods,” “intake of six food groups,” and “intake of meals combining staple foods, main dishes and side dishes” from “comprehensive health literacy” (β = .21, p < .001; β = .17, p < .001; and β = .15, p < .001, respectively). The coefficient of determination for “intake of food groups” was R ² = .24. A gender difference was noted, with the impact of “comprehensive health literacy” on “intake of a balanced diet including staple, main, and side dishes” found only among women.

Conclusion: These results indicate that increasing students' comprehensive health literacy can positively influence their dietary behavior, such as checking nutrition labels when purchasing foods and balancing their food group intake.