Awareness, knowledge and attitudes of food and nutrition sustainability, and food choice drivers among university students

Food systems face increasing unsustainable consumption and production practices contributing to rising climate change and chronic diseases globally. However, promoting behavioral change depends on the awareness and knowledge required to influence food choice. Therefore, this study assessed awareness, knowledge and attitudes toward food and nutrition sustainability, and food choice drivers among students at the Durban University of Technology, South Africa. In this cross-sectional study, awareness, knowledge and attitudes toward food and nutrition sustainability, as well as food choice drivers, were assessed among 405 registered university students using a validated questionnaire. Respondents were conveniently selected at key hub areas at the university and recruited through informed consent. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square goodness-of-fit-test and one-sample t-test. Out of 405 respondents, 62.0% were females, 54.8% were not familiar with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while 45.2% had heard of them but lacked knowledge of what they meant. Significant proportions of students never heard of product environmental footprint (65.2%), life cycle assessment (66.2%), greenwashing (64.9%), and food miles (58.5%), p < 0.001. A significant 77.0% (n = 313, p < 0.001) of students relied on the internet as the primary source of information about foods that do not harm the environment. There was significant agreement that students knew what a healthy diet consisted of; they understood the impact of a diet on health, and they knew what a sustainable diet consisted of (p < 0.05). One of the food choice drivers that contributed to students being unable to have a healthy diet was difficulty in avoiding unhealthy food options, and the high cost of healthy food. Poor awareness of the SDGS among university students contributes to the prevalence of unsustainable and unhealthy food choices. This underscores the need for targeted educational interventions to bridge the knowledge gap and empower young adults to make informed and sustainable food choices. Food systems must also prioritise the production of healthy, cost-effective, and sustainable foods to facilitate better dietary practices.