Evaluation of Sustainable Food Literacy, Dietary Behaviors, and Food Preferences among Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to examine the potential influence of sustainable food literacy on adults’ dietary behaviors and food preferences.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 400 adults (172 males, 228 females), aged 18–65, residing in Istanbul. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported anthropometrics, dietary behaviors, food preferences, and physical activity. The Sustainable Food Literacy Scale (SFLS) was used to evaluate sustainability-related food literacy.Results: Significant gender-based differences were observed across several domains of the SFLS, with women reporting higher scores in Sustainable Food Knowledge-2 (SFK-2) (5.75 vs. 5.5; p