Korean J Community Nutr.  2022 Apr;27(2):94-104. 10.5720/kjcn.2022.27.2.94.

Association Between Health Literacy and Health Promoting Behavior (Eating Habits, Physical Activity, and Stress) of University Students

• Kim YS
• Kim YS

• KMID: 2529475
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2022.27.2.94

Abstract

Objectives
This study attempted to examine the association between health literacy and health-promoting behavior, and identify the major variables that affect the health-promoting behavior of university students.
Methods
This was a descriptive correlation study that identified the degree of health literacy and health-promoting behavior of 248 university students (119 male and 129 female) and examined the correlation between the two and factors influencing them. The questionnaire covering health literacy comprised 66 questions, and that for health-promoting behavior comprised 10 questions covering eating habits, 3 questions about physical activity, and 10 questions involving stress.
Results
The score for health literacy was 41.56 ± 18.38 out of 66 points, and that for health-promoting behavior was 65.27 ± 11.21 points (27.61 ± 6.72 points for eating habits, 7.23 ± 2.56 points for physical activity, and 30.44 ± 5.61 points for stress). Health literacy and health-promoting behavior had a significant positive correlation (r = 0.175, P < 0.01). The perceived health status (β = 0.391,P < 0.001) was the most important variable in healthpromoting behavior, followed by health literacy (β = 0.236, P < 0.001).
Conclusions
It is necessary to develop a systematic educational strategy and implement educational programs to improve health literacy as well as encourage health-promoting behavior and thus increase the perceived health levels of university students.

Keyword

health literacy; health-promoting behavior; perceived health; university students