ERIC Number: EJ1417800
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0167-8329
EISSN: EISSN-1875-8649
Trust in Nutrition Information Sources Used by University Students
Nikolina Peša Pavlovic; Mate Juric; Alica Kolaric
Education for Information, v39 n4 p471-491 2023
This study explored university students' information-seeking behaviours related to nutrition. The focus was on cognitive authority, specifically, the trust given to information sources. Research questions encompassed identifying university students' nutrition needs, information sources usage, and the levels of trust in those sources. A questionnaire was completed by 138 students, and six students were interviewed. Overall, the Internet is the most used information source on nutrition, followed by family and friends. Trust in the information from the Internet in general and social media is relatively low. However, specific authors on social media are perceived as trustworthy. Interviews revealed that students evaluate specific online sources based on author expertise, systematically organised information, and other cues. Expert sources of information are highly trusted but, on average, not often used. Only students with health problems mostly rely on experts and professional literature. Students engaged in training and weight maintenance primarily follow social media, notably specific authors on YouTube and Instagram. Trust in information sources is correlated to their usage, especially for Instagram and other social media. These insights into university students' information-seeking behaviours can inform experts involved in educating students on making informed choices based on information gained from trustworthy sources.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, College Students, Library Science, Graduate Students, Dietetics, Social Sciences, Humanities, Majors (Students), Information Seeking, Student Behavior, Information Sources, Credibility, Social Media, Information Needs, Health Promotion, Student Needs
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Croatia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A