“The young participants in our study generally demonstrate moderate literacy in matters of food and nutrition, as reflected in the moderate quality of their diet,” according to Synne Groufh-Jacob She works as a researcher at UiA’s priority research center, the Center for Lifecourse Nutrition, and as a Ph.D. research fellow.
Groufh-Jacobsen compared the eating patterns and understanding of young individuals following different plant-based diets with a control group that consumed a wide variety of foods in this investigation.
165 Agder residents between the ages of 16 and 24 who took part in the study were divided into five different diet categories:
Only plant-based diets for vegans
Lacto-ovo vegetarians: primarily plant-based, with some dairy and eggs in moderation but no fish or meat
Pescatarians: primarily plant-based, with a small amount of dairy, eggs, and shellfish but no meat
Flexitarians: primarily plant-based, consuming little or no animal products (meat or meat derivatives fewer than twice weekly)
Omnivores (control group): any food type consumed without regard to dietary guidelines
Youth knowledge gaps
Groufh-Jacobsen and her associates collected data regarding the kinds of food that the participants had eaten over the previous six months. Based on dietary recommendations from health authorities, the foods were ranked to determine the quality of the diet.
The government advises having a diversified diet that should include mostly of whole grains, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and berries, with a moderate amount of meat and little added sugar or salt.
“Many participants lacked awareness about the healthiest food choices, struggled with interpreting food labels, and had difficulty understanding nutritional content,” she says.
Many were unable to distinguish between two items or figure out which had the most energy.
“They were unable to identify the product’s sugar sources. The researcher notes that a number of people were also misinformed about product labeling, including the bread scale on various kinds of bread.
The control group, the omnivores, had the poorest diet quality and the least amount of food knowledge.
Flexitarians and vegans received the highest scores.
When compared to the young omnivores in the study, vegans were distinct. Vegans ate a diet that was more in line with the guidelines provided by health authorities, particularly when it came to vegetables, unsalted nuts and seeds, beans, and legumes. In addition, they claimed to have consumed fewer sugar-filled beverages than omnivores.
Also notable were flexitarians, who consume mostly plant-based diets with a small quantity of meat. They demonstrated the best culinary expertise and the second-best diet, only to be eclipsed by vegans.
new perspectives on proficiency and abilities
This study is one of the first in the nation to look at young people who follow plant-based diets’ knowledge and abilities about food and nutrition. One of their primary goals has been to determine whether they can
“It’s not just a matter of having adequate knowledge of food and nutrition to navigate today’s food landscape, but also having sufficient skills to plan, choose, prepare, and eat foods that meet the body’s needs for nourishment,” Groufh-Jacobsen adds.
promotes greater understanding
She advocates for education on food and nutrition among young people in general and those who are cutting out particular foods from their diet.
“If you exclude several food groups from your diet, it is especially important to have sufficient knowledge of how you can replace them with other foods with similar nutritional content,” she states.
conducting ongoing research
The investigation into the dietary practices of adolescents in Agder is a component of Groufh-Jacobsen’s doctoral work.
She will investigate the real dietary choices and nutritional intake of young people through continuous investigations, providing a closer look at their food knowledge.
According to Groufh-Jacobsen, “we have only just begun to dive into the wealth of data that has been collected.”
