Sustainable food literacy in association with water footprint behavior in university students: a cross-sectional study from Turkey

Purpose This study aims to examine sustainable nutrition literacy and water footprint behavior along with the relationship between these two concepts. Additionally, it aimed to determine university students’ awareness of these concepts. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 562 university students. The Sustainable Food Literacy Scale (SFLS) and Water Footprint Behavior Scale (WFBS) were administered. The results were analyzed in SPSS. Findings While 64.6% of the participants were female, 35.4% were male. The average SFLS total and all subscale scores and WFBS total scores of the women were higher than those of the men (p = 0.001; p = 0.018). Although statistical significance was not observed, the underweight and normal weight participants generally had higher scale averages than the overweight and obese ones (p > 0.05). There was a positive significant relationship between the WFBS average score and the average scores for sustainable food knowledge, food and culinary skills, attitudes and action intent and action strategies in both sexes (p = 0.001). According to the regression analysis, each one point increase in SFLS and SFLS subscales causes a one-point increase in the WFBS. Originality/value The fact that sustainable food literacy levels and water footprint behavior in young adults are higher in females indicates that they are more knowledgeable about these issues and more conscious of them, while overweight and obese individuals have lower scores, and it is concluded that awareness should be raised in this respect. The authors think that with the increase in the number of young adults with high levels of water footprint behavior and sustainable food literacy, stronger foundations can be laid for a sustainable world in the future.