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February 12, 2026Open Access

Nutrition knowledge and healthy-eating attitudes: the role of physical activity and lifestyle factors in adults

Key Points

The study aims to evaluate the relationship between nutrition knowledge and healthy eating attitudes, influenced by physical activity and lifestyle factors.
408 adults from Türkiye completed validated measures of nutrition knowledge and healthy eating attitudes.
Lifestyle factors assessed included smoking, alcohol use, and physical activity levels.
Statistical analyses included t-tests, ANOVA with Tukey tests, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression.
Higher nutrition knowledge was associated with lower overall healthy eating attitudes and specific dimensions.
Physical activity levels significantly influenced attitudes, with higher activity correlating to better attitudes.
Education and lifestyle factors like smoking and alcohol use showed distinct effects on attitudes but did not impact nutrition knowledge.

Abstract

Background Diet quality and physical activity shape chronic-disease risk, yet the alignment between what adults know about nutrition and how they evaluate healthy eating remains unclear. Methods Adults in Türkiye ( N = 408; 46.3% women, 53.7% men; mean age 28.6 years) completed validated measures of nutrition knowledge (NKS) and attitudes toward healthy nutrition ASHN; subscales: Information on Nutrition (IN), Emotion for Nutrition (EN), Positive Nutrition (PN), Malnutrition (MP). Lifestyle factors included smoking, alcohol use, and 7-day physical activity (sedentary/low/moderate/high). Analyses comprised t-tests, one-way ANOVA with Tukey tests, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression. Results Knowledge and attitudes were only weakly aligned: higher NKS related to lower ASHN Total ( r = −0.18, p 0.001) and to IN ( r = −0.21), PN ( r = −0.11), and MP ( r = −0.17); EN was null ( r = −0.01). In regression, IN ( β = −0.17, p = 0.001) and MP ( β = −0.16, p = 0.006) were independently associated with lower NKS; overall fit was small ( R 2 = 0.063; F (4,403) = 6.815, p 0.001). Attitudes varied strongly by physical activity High Low/Moderate/Sedentary for ASHN Total ( F (3,404) = 10.10, η 2 = 0.07), IN ( F = 8.10), and PN ( F = 11.11); EN showed no group difference. Smoking showed a paradox: knowledge was higher among heavier smokers ( F (3,404) = 3.47, p = 0.010), whereas attitudes were less favorable (Never/Former ≥ 11/day for ASHN Total; F = 6.47, η 2 = 0.04). Non-drinkers reported higher ASHN than drinkers ( t (406) = 2.48, p = 0.013) with lower MP ( t (406) = 3.65, p 0.001). Education displayed clear stepwise gradients for attitudes (e.g., ASHN Total F = 18.97, η 2 = 0.12), but not for knowledge. Age correlated positively with ASHN Total ( r = 0.27) and EN/PN/MP, but not with NKS ( r = −0.07). Conclusion In this adult sample, nutrition knowledge and healthy-eating attitudes were largely distinct. Attitudes especially belief- and practice-oriented facets tracked physical activity and other lifestyle factors, whereas knowledge did not. Interventions should pair education with motivation, self-regulation, and contextual supports to convert knowledge into healthier eating.

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