Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026

Assessment of Social Transmission of Food Preferences Behaviors
Published on: January 25, 2018
Exploring Perceptions and Practices Toward Sustainable Diets Among College Students in Lebanon
Elyssa Saade1, Samer Kharroubi2, Lara Nasreddine2
1Food Security Program, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Objective:
To assess college students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward sustainable diets and their potential relationship with food security status, and to explore the associations between the KAP variables, adjusting for socioeconomic correlates.
Methods:
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among a convenience sample of 701 university students in Lebanon. The KAP of sustainable diets was assessed using previously validated tools and served as dependent variables, with socioeconomic characteristics, including food security status, as independent variables in multiple stepwise logistic regression models.
Results:
Majority of students exhibited poor knowledge of sustainable diets (71.7%) and unsustainable practices (75.7%), whereas attitudes were predominantly positive (89.3%). Regression models showed that higher knowledge scores, not attitudes, were significantly associated with sustainable practices (P < 0.001). Other correlates of KAP included female sex, university major, financial aid, and food security status, among others (all P-values < 0.05).
Conclusions And Implications:
This study can help inform educational strategies, public health programs, and food policies promoting sustainable diets among young adults.
Related Concept Videos
Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System II: Health Perception Pattern
Health Perception Patterns
Health perception patterns offer valuable insights into a patient's lifestyle habits and how they may impact their GI health. These patterns include:
Cross-Sectional Research
Self-Schemas
Dietary Connections
Surveys
Confirmation Biases
