DOI: 10.1017/s1368980026103735 ISSN: 1368-9800

Food literacy competencies and diet quality in youth adhering to vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, pescatarian or omnivorous diets in Sweden

Isabelle Mulkerrins, Anine Christine Medin, Synne Groufh-Jacobsen, Christel Larsson
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Abstract

Objective:

To assess food literacy competencies and diet quality in youth adhering to vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, pescatarian or omnivorous diets in Sweden and to investigate if, and which, food literacy competencies are associated with youths’ diet quality.

Design:

Cross-sectional study. Food literacy competencies (general nutrition knowledge (GNK), critical nutrition literacy (CNL) and food skills) were measured using a web-based questionnaire. A Diet Quality Index (DQI) score was calculated using usual intake data and based on alignment with the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 (NNR2023).

Setting:

Gothenburg, Sweden, December 2022–January 2024.

Participants:

Healthy 16–24-year-olds ( n 235).

Results:

Overall, the mean (

sd
) GNK score was 50·8 (
sd
9·3) (out of 72·0), categorised as a moderate level of GNK, and there was no difference between dietary groups. Vegans had a small, yet significantly higher CNL score v . pescatarians (3·9 (
sd
0·4) v . 3·7 (
sd
0·4), out of 5·0, p = 0·02). More vegans reported cooking meals at home almost daily (68·3 %) than pescatarians (38·2 %) and omnivores (34·4 %), p = 0·005. Overall, the total DQI score was high (28·9 (
sd
1·5) out of 34·0) except in the section for food-based dietary guidelines (3·1 (
sd
0·9) out of 6·0). Vegans had a small, yet significantly higher total DQI score v . omnivores (29·3 (
sd
1·4) v . 28·5 (
sd
1·5), p = 0·02). In the multivariable-adjusted regression analysis, GNK score and frequency of eating meals pre-prepared outside the home were significantly associated with total DQI score.

Conclusions:

Youth, regardless of dietary practice, may need support to increase their food literacy competencies, including GNK, and consume higher quality diets that better align with the NNR2023 food-based dietary guidelines.

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