The Influence of Nutritional Knowledge and Food Choice Attitudes on the Eating Behavior of Adolescents in Kediri District

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the influence of nutritional knowledge and food choice attitudes on the eating behaviour of adolescents in Kediri Regency, East Java. A total of 77 adolescents aged 12–21 years participated in the research through purposive sampling. The study employed an observational analytic design with a cross-sectional approach. The demographic data showed that 67.53% of respondents were female and 32.47% were male. Findings indicated that 50.65% of adolescents possessed good nutritional knowledge, 64.94% demonstrated positive attitudes toward food choices, and 61.04% exhibited appropriate eating behaviours. Statistical analysis using the correlation test revealed no significant relationship between nutritional knowledge and food choice attitudes. However, there was a significant relationship between nutritional knowledge and eating behaviour, as well as between food choice attitudes and eating behaviour. Furthermore, the multiple correlation analysis yielded an R value of 0.005, suggesting that nutritional knowledge and food choice attitudes together have an influence, albeit small, on adolescent eating behaviour. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing both nutritional education and the development of positive food choice attitudes to promote healthier eating patterns among adolescents. Interventions targeting both cognitive understanding and attitude formation may therefore be critical in shaping healthier dietary habits in this population group.