Assessing Knowledge and Awareness of Nutrition in Preventing Chronic Diseases

Chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, are major contributors to global morbidity and mortality, with poor dietary habits being a significant modifiable risk factor. Despite evidence linking nutrition to disease prevention, gaps persist in public knowledge and adherence to healthy dietary practices. This study assessed the knowledge and awareness of nutrition’s role in preventing chronic diseases among a Nigerian population. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, using a stratified random sampling technique to select 424 respondents from academic and community settings. Data were collected via a validated semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages) and inferential analysis (chi-square tests) were conducted using SPSS version 20. Results indicated high baseline nutrition knowledge (88.5% understood balanced diets; 90.9% recognized vitamins in fruits/vegetables), and 87% reported actively trying to eat healthily. However, a dissonance existed between awareness and practice: only 64.3% associated fast food with disease risks, and social media (38.5%) which can be a potential source of misinformation was the primary information channel. The Health Belief Model and Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior framework contextualized these findings, revealing that perceived benefits of healthy eating did not always translate to action. The study concludes that while awareness is robust, targeted interventions such as institutional nutrition education and social media regulation are needed to bridge the knowledge-practice gap. These findings offer actionable insights for policymakers and health educators to design context-specific strategies for chronic disease prevention in Nigeria.