Defining food literacy: A scoping review.

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Health Education

Background:

• Food literacy is a prevalent concept referring to proficiency in food-related skills and knowledge.
• Existing definitions are varied, leading to a lack of conceptual clarity.
• This study addresses the need to scope the research landscape of food literacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the scope of food literacy research by identifying articles that define the term.
• To analyze key conceptualizations of food literacy.
• To report on the outcomes and measures used in food literacy research.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review was conducted.
• Searched academic and grey literature across multiple databases (Medline, Pubmed, Embase, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, Scopus, JSTOR, Web of Science, Google Scholar).
• Included 67 studies from 1049 abstracts, extracting data on origin, study type, target population, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• The majority of food literacy definitions emphasize critical knowledge (55%) over functional knowledge (8%), with some incorporating both (37%).
• Six prevalent themes emerged: skills/behaviors, food/health choices, culture, knowledge, emotions, and food systems.
• Study outcomes predominantly focus on knowledge generation, with limited attention to health-related outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Current food literacy definitions integrate six key themes and both critical and functional knowledge.
• Despite broad definitions, research primarily targets knowledge-based outcomes.
• A significant gap exists in research focusing on health outcomes, presenting an opportunity for future investigation.