The Relationship Between General and Sports Nutrition Knowledge and Psychological Well-Being Levels Among University Students

This study aimed to examine the general and sports nutrition knowledge and psychological well-being of university students. A total of 450 students from Ondokuz Mayıs University completed the General and Sports Nutrition Knowledge Scale and the Psychological Well-Being Scale. Independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to compare groups, with post hoc tests applied when appropriate. Results showed no significant gender differences in nutrition knowledge (p > .05), whereas male students reported higher psychological well-being than females (p < .05). Significant differences were observed in both general and sports nutrition knowledge and psychological well-being according to faculty type (p < .05 and p < .001), with students from the Faculty of Sport Sciences scoring higher than those from other faculties. Among Sport Sciences students, participation in team versus individual sports did not significantly affect nutrition knowledge or well-being scores (p > .05). Regression analysis indicated that nutrition knowledge significantly predicted psychological well-being, F(1, 448) = 99.38, p < .001, explaining 18.2% of the variance. Overall, students demonstrated above-average general and sports nutrition knowledge and moderate levels of psychological well-being. These findings highlight the potential benefit of integrating nutrition education into university curricula, including courses, workshops, or seminars, to enhance both dietary knowledge and psychological well-being. The results underscore the importance of targeted educational programs, particularly for students outside sport-related disciplines, to support overall health and mental well-being. Future research should explore longitudinal and intervention-based designs to clarify the causal relationship between nutrition knowledge and psychological well-being among diverse student populations.