ABSTRACT:
Food plays a central role in human life through its availability, abundance, or scarcity (Grunert et al., 2007). Food literacy—the ability to plan, select, prepare, and consume food responsibly—positively influences eating behaviours and lifestyle choices (Vidgen & Gallegos, 2014; Vidgen, 2016). High food literacy can therefore promote healthier lifestyles and greater well-being (Barratt & Kirwan, 2009; Truman & Elliott, 2019). University students are particularly vulnerable to poor dietary habits due to stress and financial constraints, underlining the importance of fostering food literacy to enhance both academic and personal quality of life. This study examined whether Swansea University students with higher food literacy levels also report greater satisfaction with food-related life and whether food literacy is associated with body mass index (BMI). A cross-sectional design was employed using an online questionnaire incorporating two validated instruments: the Short Food Literacy Questionnaire (SFLQ) and the Satisfaction with Food-Related Life scale (SWFL) (Grunert et al., 2007; Krause et al., 2016). Participants included students from both health-related and non-health-related colleges. Findings showed that students had generally high levels of food literacy and satisfaction with food-related life. Food literacy was a significant positive predictor of satisfaction with food life, suggesting that greater knowledge and skills around food enhance subjective food well-being. However, no significant relationship was found between food literacy and BMI. Multiple regression indicated that food well-being was negatively influenced by BMI, while correlational analyses revealed significant links between food literacy and several demographic factors. These results are consistent with previous literature but highlight differences shaped by the specific characteristics of this sample. Overall, food literacy and BMI emerge as key factors in understanding food-related satisfaction. Enhancing food literacy among university students could support healthier behaviours and improve overall quality of life (Palumbo, 2016).