Purpose: Little is known about interrelationships among nutrition knowledge, attitude, dietary intake, and body satisfaction, which are important variables that play a role in nutrition education interventions. This paper aims to focus on these interrelationships.Design/methodology/approach: Students (n=279; 20.12±1.75SD years) enrolled at a large northeastern US university took an online survey. The survey contained a nutrition knowledge scale, attitude scale, food frequency scales, body areas satisfaction subscale, and demographic characteristics questions. To determine relationships, correlation coefficients were computed, along with forward stepwise regression to identify predictors of each study measure.Research limitations/implications: Data were collected from a non‐probability sample in one geographical area at one time point.Findings: In males, significant positive correlations were found between fruit/vegetable servings and attitudes, knowledge, body satisfaction; and between knowledge and attitudes. Stepwise multiple regression analysis found fruit/vegetable servings and percent calories from fat significantly predicted attitudes, while in females attitude was a significant predictor variable for knowledge, fruit/vegetable servings, and percent of calories from fat. Among females, significant positive correlations occurred between attitudes and knowledge, and fruit/vegetable servings and attitudes.Practical implications: Nutrition and health interventions should incorporate lessons that work to improve one's attitudes toward nutrition. Interventions targeted to males should aim to increase nutrition knowledge, while interventions targeted to females should focus on nutrition knowledge and attitudes.Originality/value: This paper expands on what is known about young adults and key cognitive factors that influence their nutrition knowledge, attitudes, dietary intake, and body satisfaction. Nutrition educators can utilize the study findings to inform future nutrition interventions.

Critical thinking skills and dispositions are significantly important factors that aid in one’s ability to understand and solve complex problems. Within the field of higher education, critical thinking skills and dispositions are valued and encouraged but are not always fully developed at the completion of the undergraduate degree experience. Those students who are studying to enter the healthcare field are particularly in need of strong critical thinking skills and dispositions in order to provide patients and communities with effective, evidence-based care in the midst of an ever-increasingly complex environment. What program of study a student selects, and the unique curriculum design of that program, may impact the development of these skills and dispositions during undergraduate study. This quantitative study sought to explore and understand the critical thinking skills and dispositions of undergraduate students enrolled in a BS in Health Science (BSHS) degree program, and how these skills in particular compared to the national student population. During the Spring 2022 academic semester, 140 senior-level BSHS students were given the opportunity to complete the California Critical Thinking Skills Test and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory. Results show less development in critical thinking skills when compared to the national student population, with Numeracy skills being the most poorly developed, and Truth-Seeking being the most inconsistent disposition possessed by the student participants. The implications of these findings, particularly for faculty who teach students planning to enter the healthcare field, are offered, including recommendations for curricular design and modification.

Online sources of health information are a significant means by which the public educates itself about health and wellness. The purpose of this study is to investigate how undergraduate students evaluate and assess health-related websites for accuracy, as well as the self-reported factors used in identifying whether a website is an accurate source of information. One hundred and fifty-seven students participated by reviewing a series of 10 health-related websites and indicated whether they believed the website to be an accurate source of health information. Students completed an open-ended question to self-report how they made this determination. Results indicate that students were not able to accurately distinguish between credible sources of web-based health information and those sources that were previously categorized as not being credible sources. Analysis of self-reported qualitative feedback gave rise to 6 factors used to determine the accuracy of the websites reviewed. While students report using these factors, and these factors are consistent with previous research, this does not appear then to be translating to successful determination of a source’s accuracy. Educating students in proper fact-checking and evaluation skills may be warranted to develop a generation of individuals who can be said to have better health literacy.

Background: The purpose of this exploratory study was to identifying demographic factors and unique predictors of ON e.g., the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the use of social media and the Grindr ® dating application among a sample group of Spanish and Polish identifying gay men. Methods: The study was conducted in Poland and Spain between March and June 2021 using questionary: ORTO-15. Data was collected using a three-section self-administered questionnaire. The first section contained demographic data, the second part was the Polish and Spanish version of the Orto-15, and the third part was the Polish and Spanish version of the EAT-26. Results: Total enrollment was 394 gay men. In regression proportional hazards single model, significant predictors of ON were: age (OR = 0.964, 95% CI, 0.944–0.984), BMI (OR = 0.895, 95% CI, 0.848–0.944), staying in an informal relationship compared to being single (OR = 2.138, 95%CI, 1.225–3.732), occasional use of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (OR = 4.667, 95%CI, 1.186–18.362) and use of the Grindr application (OR = 5.312, 95%CI, 3.373–8.365). Instagram users had lower risk of ON (OR = 0.479, 95%CI, 0.279–0.822). The multivariate analysis showed that Grindr usages (OR = 4.72; 95%CI, 2.89–7.72) correlated with higher risk of ON. Higher BMI (OR = 0.913, 95%CI, 0.861–0.98) and daily use of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (OR = 0.142, 95%CI, 0.03–0.674) is associated with lower risk of ON. Conclusions: The most important predictors of orthorexia nervosa in gay men are: low BMI and the use of Grindr. The effect of daily usage of PrEP is associated with lower risk, and occasional use is associated with increased risk, of orthorexia nervosa.

Background: Identifying effective educational strategies to change lifestyle behaviors related to eating habits is imperative for health professionals providing education related to disease management and prevention. The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of mass media as a tool for improving dietary habits. Methods: 151 Undergraduate students participated in a quasi-experimental control group design at a midsize liberal arts university. The treatment group watched the film Forks Over Knives and was assessed on their dietary habits, locus of control, and current stage of change before and after viewing the film. Results: Results showed differences to current stage of change in reducing animal-based food consumption in the treatment group but did not show significant changes in increasing plant-based food. Discussion: This study provides evidence that use of the documentary Forks Over Knives affects students’ intake of animal-based foods but is not an impactful enough tool to increase intake of plant-based foods. Translation to Health Practice: Professionals who utilize the film Forks Over Knives to encourage dietary changes should do so as part of a more structured, long-term behavior change intervention program. Additional research is needed to compare Forks Over Knives with other documentary films that encourage plant-based dietary habits.

Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals face significant health disparities despite growing visibility and awareness. Nutrition-related disparities are particularly concerning, with TGNC individuals experiencing higher rates of food insecurity, eating disorders, body dissatisfaction, and overweight or obesity. Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) and other medical interventions lead to significant physiological changes that can influence nutritional needs, as well as body composition and bone mineral density, yet existing daily energy estimation equations do not account for TGNC individuals or those undergoing GAHT. Perioperative nutrition is also vital, as gender-affirming surgeries increase metabolic demands and risk of muscle loss due to immobility and catabolism. Moreover, TGNC individuals report higher rates of food insecurity, with transgender men being particularly affected, largely due to economic disparities and systemic discrimination. Eating disorders are likely under reported in this population due to limited access to competent, inclusive care. Most research combines transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, limiting insight into subgroup differences. To improve health outcomes among TGNC individuals, there is a critical need for more inclusive, longitudinal research, particularly in the areas of nutrition, metabolism, and post-surgical care. Such research could inform the development of tailored interventions, enhance healthcare provider competence, and support the creation of clinical guidelines that address the specific health and nutrition needs of TGNC individuals. Ultimately, this would help reduce disparities and promote long-term well-being for TGNC individuals.