The role of sustainable food literacy in the relationship between global climate change awareness and sustainable nutrition behaviours among university students

Kubilay M. N., Ömür S.

BRITISH FOOD JOURNAL, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.1-17, 2026 (Hakemli Dergi)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 1 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1108/bfj-09-2025-1263
  • Dergi Adı: BRITISH FOOD JOURNAL
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-17
  • İstanbul Medipol Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Purpose

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between global climate change awareness and sustainable nutrition behaviours among university students and to examine the mediating role of sustainable food literacy in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 1228 university students. Data were collected via an online survey comprising a socio-demographic information form, the global climate change awareness scale, the behaviours scale towards sustainable nutrition and the sustainable food literacy scale. Data analysis was performed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Statistics 26.0 and AMOS 24 software packages.

Findings

The mean age of participants was 22.64 ± 4.49 years. Female students and those studying health sciences had significantly higher mean scores for global climate change awareness, sustainable nutrition behaviours and sustainable food literacy (p < 0.05). Significant positive correlations were found between global climate change awareness, sustainable nutrition behaviours, and sustainable food literacy, with the strongest correlation observed between sustainable nutrition behaviours and sustainable food literacy (r = 0.721; p < 0.01). Sustainable food literacy was found to play a statistically significant mediating role in the relationship between global climate change awareness and sustainable nutrition behaviours (β = 0.353; p < 0.001).