Investigation and Countermeasure of the Dietary Nutrition Status of College Students from the Perspective of Healthy China

This study explores the dietary nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAP) of college students in the context of healthy China and proposes improvement measures. A KAP survey questionnaire on dietary nutrition was designed and administered to 815 college students, with correlation and significance analyses performed on the collected data. The results indicate a significant positive correlation between dietary nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors and the total KAP score at the 0.01 level (P < 0.01), with a notable interrelationship among the three components (P < 0.01). The total KAP score was significantly negatively correlated with height (P < 0.01) but was not significantly correlated with weight or body mass index (BMI) (P > 0.05). In terms of sex, males scored lower than females did in terms of dietary nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and total scores, while males presented higher scores in terms of dietary behaviors. With respect to BMI, only 448 students (54.97%) fell within the normal range, and the normal weight group outperformed the underweight and overweight groups in terms of dietary nutrition knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and total scores. The average score for dietary nutrition knowledge among college students was 7.74 ± 2.81 (failing), indicating a knowledge deficit; the average score for dietary attitudes was 3.61 ± 0.86 (excellent), reflecting a positive attitude; and the average score for dietary behaviors was 10.43 ± 2.37 (failing), indicating substandard dietary practices. Overall, college students demonstrate a low level of mastery of dietary nutrition knowledge, with an insufficient and nonsystematic knowledge framework. They possess a positive attitude toward acquiring dietary nutrition knowledge but engage in many poor dietary behaviors, particularly inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, insufficient water consumption, and irregular eating patterns. Universities should optimize the dissemination pathways of dietary nutrition knowledge and utilize new media platforms to increase nutrition knowledge promotion through WeChat mini-programs, short videos, and social media to increase students' interest in nutrition knowledge and improve their practical behaviors.