Nutrition Literacy and Dietary Behavior Among Malaysian Adults

Background: Nutrition literacy, a subset of health literacy, is increasingly recognized by public health authorities when designing nutrition education and promotion strategies. Higher levels of nutrition literacy are associated with healthier, higher-quality diet choices, which may help reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. However, the relationship between different dimensions of nutrition literacy and dietary behavior remains unclear. This study aims to examine sociodemographic differences in nutrition literacy dimensions and dietary behavior among Malaysian adults and to explore the relationship of nutrition literacy dimensions with dietary behavior. Methods: A total of 653 Malaysian adults (mean age: 29.42 ± 11.28 years) were recruited through online social networks between February 18 to August 25, 2022 for this online cross-sectional study. Participation was anonymous, voluntary, and based on informed consent. Results: Nutrition literacy dimensions were affected by age, gender, relationship status, and education level whereas dietary behavior was affected by ethnicity and education level. Higher scores in the “obtain”, “analyze”, and “apply” dimensions of nutrition literacy were significantly associated (p < 0.05) with higher dietary behavior scores. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for targeted nutrition education interventions to enhance nutrition literacy and promote healthier dietary behavior among Malaysian adults.