Gender-Centric Assessment of Food Literacy among Staff of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile–Ife, Nigeria

Aim: This study investigated and elucidated gender-specific patterns in food literacy.

Study Design: A cross-sectional pilot study with a stratified random sampling technique was adopted. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on five domains of food literacy; nutritional knowledge, food preparation skills, ability to plan daily meals, ability to practice healthy eating, and ability to select healthy foods.

Place and Duration of Study: Obafemi Awolowo University campus Ile – Ife, Nigeria, between September and December 2019.

Methodology: About 203 teaching and non-teaching staff were selected using a multistage stratified random sampling technique representing about 10% of the total population of staff. Bivariate logistic regression was used to determine the likelihood of high food literacy. The predicted probability of high food literacy was for females.

Results: The results showed the mean age was 45.38 ± 10.98. Mean food literacy score was 84.15±6.20. A minimum of one out of three scored high in food literacy skill set except in food preparation in which less than 20% scored high. Food preparation skills (r = 0.294, p<0.01), daily meal planning (r = 0.202, p<0.01), and ability to select healthy food (r = 0.206, p<0.01) had a positive and significant relationship with nutritional knowledge. No significant difference in the nutritional knowledge of males and females. Age, gender and work sector had a positive and significant relationship (p<0.05) with food literacy. Females were likely to be rated higher in food literacy than males (OR = 0.647, 95%CI = 0.367 – 1.143).

More males practised healthy eating than females (OR =0.905, 95%CI = 0.686 -1.195).

Conclusion: Higher nutritional knowledge does not translate to healthy dietary practices. Food literacy programmes such as educational programmes, community initiatives, and policy changes to promote a better understanding of nutrition should be intensified, especially with emphasis on healthy practice.