Influence of Healthy Eating Literacy on Awareness of the Food Environment and Consumption of Meals Consisting of Grain Dishes, Fish and Meat Dishes, and Vegetable Dishes: Path Analysis in Men and Women in Their Thirties

Junior College  ABSTRACT Objective: This study examined the relationships of a healthy eating literacy scale with awareness of the food environment and frequency of consuming Japanese healthy meals (consisting of grain dishes, fish and meat dishes, and vegetable dishes) to reveal the influence of healthy eating literacy on the consumption of Japanese healthy meals. Methods: An online survey was conducted on 9,356 men and women aged 30~39 years who were monitors of a social survey company. A total of 2,000 respondents (1,018 men, 982 women) were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed with adjustment for frequency of consuming non-home-cooked meals (eating out, takeout meals, and precooked dishes) and awareness of the food environment (access to food and information). The results were used to prepare causal models involving the healthy eating literacy scale, awareness of the food environment, and Japanese healthy meals. Path analysis was also performed. Results: In men, significant paths were confirmed from the healthy eating literacy scale to awareness of " access to foods " and " access to information. " Further, awareness of " access to foods " influenced the frequency of Japanese healthy meals (GFI = 0.999, AGFI = 0.997, CFI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000, χ 2 = 1.2). In women, significant paths were confirmed from the healthy eating literacy scale to awareness of " access to foods " and " access to information, " and such awareness influenced the frequency of Japanese healthy meals (GFI = 0.999, AGFI = 0.986, CFI = 0.998, RMSEA = 0.041, χ 2 = 2.7). Conclusions: Results suggest that healthy eating literacy possibly influences the frequency of Japanese healthy meals via awareness of food environment.