Assessing the General Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Toward Vitamin A Consumption among Sultan Qaboos University Students

Purpose: Vitamin A (Retinol) is an essential fat-soluble micronutrient that is obtained from animal and plant sources, fortified food products, and dietary supplements. It plays a major role in the health of vision, immunity, gene transcription, and skin. The aim of this quantitative study is to examine and analyze the knowledge, awareness, and behavior among students registered in Sultan Qaboos University on vitamin A intake and its role in the health status. Design/methodology/approach: An online questionnaire survey consisting of 44 questions was randomly distributed among Sultan Qaboos University students. Data were analyzed on STATA 13.0 using OLS regression, Pearson correlation, and Tobit models with a significance of ( P ≤ 0.05). The sample size was 391 students based on the Rao Soft Calculation tool. Findings: All models showed the same results with insignificant variations in values. Gender and knowledge had a significant impact on the attitude and behavior toward vitamin A consumption among the students. An improvement in housing status does not significantly affect the attitude toward vitamin A consumption ( P < 0.05). Diagnostic testing of multicollinearity was conducted using the variance inflation factor value, which showed a lack of multicollinearity in the study, and leverage (lvr2plot) using dfits and Cook’s values to test for outliers, showing one outlier response, which was eliminated from the analysis. Conclusion: Participants’ gender and knowledge of vitamin A affected their attitude and behavior, whereas their economic status did not ( P < 0.05). The study is useful to create awareness and overall sustainable health planning.