Researchers in Turkey created an online nutrition course to teach young adults about eating in ways that are healthier for both their bodies and the environment. The 30-minute course covered topics like reducing meat, avoiding food waste, and choosing local foods. About 397 young adults took the course, and four weeks later, researchers checked if their eating habits had improved. The results showed that people who took the course did make better food choices, especially women, older participants, and people living in rural areas. This suggests that short online classes could be an easy and effective way to help young people develop healthier, more sustainable eating habits.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: Whether a short online nutrition course could help young adults develop eating habits that are better for their health and the environment
- Who participated: 397 young adults living in Turkey, including both men and women, with some living in cities and others in rural areas
- Key finding: After taking the 30-minute online course, participants improved their sustainable eating behavior scores from 3.9 to 4.2 out of a possible scale (a statistically significant improvement), meaning they made better food choices
- What it means for you: If you’re a young adult interested in eating healthier and helping the environment, a short online class might actually help you change your eating habits. However, this study only followed people for 4 weeks, so we don’t know if these changes last longer than that
The Research Details
Researchers created an online nutrition education program divided into eight short lessons, each lasting about 3-4 minutes. The lessons covered important topics like reading food labels, eating seasonal foods, reducing meat consumption, and preventing food waste. All 397 young adults in the study took this course online. The researchers measured participants’ eating habits and knowledge before they started the course and again four weeks after they finished it. This type of study design, called a pre-post design, helps researchers see if the course actually changed people’s behavior by comparing their scores before and after.
This research approach is important because it shows real-world results from an actual online program that people can access from home. Rather than just testing ideas in a lab, the researchers watched what happened when real young adults took the course. The four-week follow-up period gives us information about whether the changes stick around for at least a month after learning.
The study included a reasonably large group of 397 participants, which makes the results more reliable than a smaller study would be. The research was published in BMC Public Health, a respected scientific journal. However, the study only measured results four weeks after the course, so we don’t know if people kept these habits longer. Also, the study was done in Turkey, so results might be different in other countries with different food systems and cultures. The study didn’t include a control group (people who didn’t take the course), which would have made it stronger.
What the Results Show
The main finding was that the online nutrition course successfully improved how sustainably young adults ate. Before taking the course, participants scored an average of 3.9 on the Sustainable and Healthy Eating Behaviours scale. After completing the course and waiting four weeks, their average score increased to 4.2. While this might seem like a small change, it was statistically significant, meaning it’s unlikely to have happened by chance. This improvement shows that the online lessons actually helped people make better food choices. The researchers also discovered that certain groups of people benefited more from the course. Women showed greater improvements than men, older participants improved more than younger ones, and people living in rural areas had better results than those in cities. People who already had good eating habits before the course also tended to improve more afterward.
The study also measured something called ’e-Healthy Diet Literacy,’ which means understanding nutrition information online. The course appeared to help participants better understand food labels and nutritional information presented on websites and apps. Additionally, participants reported increased awareness of seasonal foods and showed more interest in reducing food waste, which were two of the course’s main topics. These secondary findings suggest the course not only changed behavior but also increased knowledge about sustainable eating.
This research fits with earlier studies showing that online education can effectively change health behaviors. Previous research has shown that short, focused online lessons work better than long, complicated ones—and this course followed that pattern with 3-4 minute modules. The finding that women and older adults responded better to the program aligns with other nutrition education research. However, this study adds something new by specifically focusing on sustainable eating (eating in ways that help the environment) rather than just general healthy eating, which is becoming increasingly important as people worry about climate change and food security.
The study has several important limitations to keep in mind. First, it only followed participants for four weeks, so we don’t know if people kept up these better eating habits after that. Second, there was no comparison group—the researchers didn’t have a group of people who didn’t take the course to compare against. This makes it harder to know if the improvements came from the course itself or from other factors. Third, the study was conducted only in Turkey, so the results might not apply to young adults in other countries with different food cultures and available foods. Fourth, the study relied on people self-reporting their eating habits, which can sometimes be inaccurate because people might remember or report things differently than they actually happened. Finally, we don’t know much about how diverse the participants were in terms of income, education level, or other background factors.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a young adult interested in eating more sustainably and healthily, trying a short online nutrition course like this one may help you make better food choices. The evidence suggests this approach works, at least in the short term (4 weeks). Start by taking a course and then try to apply what you learn by making one or two specific changes, like eating more seasonal foods or reducing meat consumption. Keep in mind that this is based on a study from Turkey, so some specific recommendations might need to be adjusted based on what foods are available where you live. Confidence level: Moderate—the study shows promise, but we need longer follow-up studies to confirm these changes last.
Young adults who want to improve their eating habits should pay attention to this research, especially if you’re interested in environmental issues or food sustainability. Women and older young adults (in their mid-to-late 20s) may find this particularly helpful based on the study results. People living in rural areas might especially benefit. However, if you have specific health conditions or dietary restrictions, you should talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before making major changes based on an online course. This research is less relevant for children, teenagers, or older adults, as the study only included young adults.
Based on this study, you might notice improvements in your eating habits within 2-4 weeks of completing the course. However, the real test is whether you can maintain these changes beyond that first month. The study didn’t measure long-term changes, so you should plan to check in with yourself at 2 months, 3 months, and 6 months to see if your new habits stick around. Real behavior change often takes 2-3 months to become automatic, so be patient with yourself.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Track your weekly sustainable eating behaviors by logging: (1) number of meals with reduced meat or no meat, (2) number of seasonal foods eaten, (3) instances of food waste prevented, and (4) number of meals using local food sources. Rate your overall sustainable eating effort on a 1-10 scale each week.
- After completing an online nutrition module, set one specific goal for the next week, such as ’eat meat-free meals 3 times this week’ or ‘buy one seasonal vegetable I’ve never tried.’ Log your progress daily and celebrate small wins to stay motivated.
- Create a monthly sustainable eating scorecard where you rate yourself on the same scale used in the study (1-5) across four areas: healthy food choices, sustainable food choices, reducing food waste, and choosing local/seasonal foods. Track these monthly scores over 3-6 months to see your long-term progress and identify which areas improve fastest.
This research describes the results of one study conducted in Turkey with 397 young adults followed for only four weeks. While the findings are promising, they should not replace personalized advice from a healthcare provider, registered dietitian, or nutritionist. Individual results may vary based on your location, available foods, health status, and personal circumstances. If you have any medical conditions, take medications, or have specific dietary needs, consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your eating habits based on this research. This study shows correlation and short-term changes, not long-term health outcomes, so additional research is needed to confirm lasting benefits.