Nutrition Literacy, Hydration Awareness and Food Label Use in School Populations: A Cross‐Sectional Study of Students and Teachers Across European Contexts

BACKGROUND: Nutrition literacy is increasingly recognised as a key determinant of dietary behaviours and long-term public health outcomes. Schools represent strategic settings for strengthening nutrition literacy-related competencies, including hydration awareness and food label use, yet comparative. However, descriptive cross-country evidence across European school contexts remains limited. METHODS: A cross-sectional, school-based survey was conducted among 432 students (aged 11-16 years) and 108 teachers across five European contexts (Italy, Germany, Cyprus, Serbia and Guadeloupe [France]). Culturally adapted questionnaires developed within the Erasmus+ GARDENS project assessed predefined domains of nutrition knowledge (food groups, macronutrient functions, fibre, vitamins and minerals), hydration awareness, food label use and selected sustainability-related concepts. Knowledge items were coded dichotomously (correct/incorrect), and behavioural indicators were analysed descriptively. Cross-country comparisons were exploratory. RESULTS: Teachers in Germany and Italy reported higher levels of hydration awareness (> 90%) and food label use (≥ 75%), whereas lower self-reported food label literacy was observed in Guadeloupe (48%). Among students, incorrect responses to nutrient-function items (defined as misconceptions) were observed in 40% of the overall sample, with higher proportions in Guadeloupe and Serbia. Cross-country variability was present across all assessed domains. CONCLUSIONS: Marked substantial descriptive differences in nutrition literacy knowledge, hydration awareness and food label use were observed across school populations in selected European contexts. These findings provide baseline public health evidence supporting the integration of nutrition literacy-particularly hydration and food labelling-into school-based health promotion strategies, with attention to equity and contextual factors. These findings provide baseline evidence to inform school-based health promotion strategies and highlight the relevance of contextual and equity-related considerations. Further research using validated instruments and inferential designs is warranted.