The Relationship between Online and Offline Information-Seeking Behaviors for Healthy Nutrition

András Fehér, Miklós Véha, Henrietta Mónika Boros, Bence Kovács, Enikő Kontor and Zoltán Szakály
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András Fehér: Institute of Marketing and Commerce, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Miklós Véha: Naturtrade Hungary Ltd., 6725 Szeged, Hungary
Henrietta Mónika Boros: Institute of Marketing and Commerce, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Bence Kovács: Institute of Marketing and Commerce, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Enikő Kontor: Institute of Marketing and Commerce, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Zoltán Szakály: Institute of Marketing and Commerce, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-18

Abstract: In addition to preserving their health, young people can also play a role in providing information to wider society. Nutrition habits that have developed over the years at college have an impact on the foundation of a lifelong lifestyle. Our aim was to identify university students’ online and offline information-seeking attitudes related to healthy nutrition and create a new theoretical concept. Participants were university students ( n = 612), and the self-administered, paper-based questionnaires were sent out to nine Hungarian universities. Both descriptive and multivariate statistical procedures were used in the analysis. Online and offline information sources were categorized. In relation to university students’ information-seeking competence, the component of electronic health literacy was determined. In analyzing attitudes, the components of acceptance of, incentive for, and rejection of or ambivalence towards healthy nutrition were identified. The information-seeking categories related to the stages of university students’ conscious transition to healthy nutrition were also identified. University students’ competences related to electronic health literacy are essentially favorable. This target group accepts healthy nutrition and tries to recommend it to others, too. However, a rejecting or ambivalent attitude could also be identified. Online and offline sources of information accompany university students’ transition of the relevant stages of changes. The theoretical concept that we developed can contribute to bridging gaps in the interrelatedness of diverse information sources and healthy nutrition.

Keywords: health; nutrition; online and offline information sources; attitude; eating habits; Hungary; university students (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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