The relationship between health literacy and the attitude and behavior of breakfast consumption in female high school students in Yasuj: A cross-sectional study

During adolescence, individuals are responsible for their eating habits, attitudes and behaviors. Breakfast, as the most important meal, plays a key role in maintaining adolescent health. Health literacy is one of the biggest determinants of health. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between health literacy (high / low) with the attitude and behavior of breakfast consumption in students.

The present study was conducted on female students from six public schools in Yasuj. Totally, 440 students with excellent health literacy and limited health literacy participated in this study. The data were collected through a questionnaire consisting of three sections: demographic information, adolescent health literacy questionnaire (HELMA), attitude toward breakfast consumption and breakfast consumption behavior. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS v.16 software through independent t-test, Mann-whitney and chiSquare tests. All stages of the present study were performed according to ethical standards.

According to the findings, the score of attitude and behavior of breakfast consumption in participants with high health literacy was higher than those with low health literacy. Also, there was a significant relationship between attitude and behavior of breakfast consumption with health literacy (p <0.05).

The results of this study indicate the role of health literacy in attitude and behavior of breakfast consumption. Careful planning to improve the attitude and behavior of breakfast consumption should be performed according to the literacy of people's health by officials and experts at different levels.