Assessing the Role of Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Diversity in Academic Performance of University Students: Ordinal Logistic Regression Analysis

This study examines the impact of nutrition knowledge and dietary diversity on the academic performance of university students in Islamabad, addressing a significant research gap in the context of Pakistan. Guided by Maslow's learning theory, the study employs a Proportional Odds Model to analyze primary data collected from 500 students across eight universities using a two-stage cluster sampling procedure. Student’s academic performance is assessed as an ordinal variable based on their CGPA, while nutrition knowledge is measured through scores on three dimensions: (i) recommended nutritious diet, (ii) nutrient-based diet classifications, and (iii) diet-disease relationships. Dietary diversity scores are also calculated to capture the variety in students' food consumption patterns. The findings reveal that knowledge of nutrition security strongly enhances academic performance. Students with higher awareness of diet classifications, diet-disease relationships, and recommended nutritious diets are more likely to excel academically. The reason is that awareness of nutrition security leads them to a healthy diet, which contributes positively to their academic achievements. Coefficient estimates of dietary diversity also confirm these linkages as the results reveal that the students who fulfill the diet diversity plan have three times more chances to perform excellently as compared to those students who do not fulfill the diet diversity plan. Other significant factors include urban residence, female gender, and age (22–25 years), while parental education appears to have no significant effect. These results underscore the need for policies to promote nutrition awareness among students. Initiatives could include integrating nutrition education into school and university curricula, leveraging social media to disseminate information, and mandating nutrition labeling on food products. By addressing these factors, policymakers can improve students' academic outcomes and overall well-being