Understanding adolescent eating behaviour in the Ho Municipality, Ghana: associations with nutrition literacy and health literacy

Adolescence is a critical stage for the development of dietary habits that influence long-term health outcomes. Health literacy and nutrition literacy have been identified as important factors associated with healthy lifestyle choices; however, evidence on their relationship with adolescent eating behaviour remains limited in Ghana. This study examined the associations between health literacy, nutrition literacy, parental socio-economic characteristics, and eating behaviour among adolescents in the Ho Municipality. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 494 adolescents from three senior high schools in the Ho Municipality, Ghana. Data were collected using structured questionnaires assessing health literacy, nutrition literacy, eating behaviour, and parental socio-economic characteristics. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to analyse the data. Nutrition literacy was positively associated with eating behaviour (r = 0.39, p < .001). In the regression analysis, nutrition literacy remained significantly associated with eating behaviour (β = .42, p < .001), whereas health literacy was not significantly associated with eating behaviour (β = .05, p = .34). Parental income and educational attainment were also not significantly associated with eating behaviour ( p > .05). Nutrition literacy was significantly associated with eating behaviour among adolescents in the Ho Municipality, whereas health literacy and parental socio-economic characteristics were not. These findings highlight the potential importance of nutrition-specific knowledge and skills in supporting healthy dietary choices among adolescents. Interventions that strengthen nutrition literacy may contribute to healthier eating practices and support efforts to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases.