Research Information System
Sürdürülebilir Çevre, vol.2, pp.49-59, 2022 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
The current food system causes environmental destruction by depleting natural resources. One third of food is lost during the production, transportation, distribution and consumption stages. This loss in the food chain draws attention to the inadequacy of the system and contradicts the concept of sustainable food. Existential loss of food also means the loss of water, energy and money spent to produce it. Consumers have a decisive role in minimizing losses in the food chain and making it more sustainable. Consumers can establish a link between the environment and nutrition by developing conscious eating behaviors. Green Eating (GE) is a new dietary model that encompasses human health, food footprint and ethical values. This model prioritizes minimizing the consumption of processed products, consuming fair trade certified products that care about the earnings of the producer, prioritizing local products, and observing the presence of organic certification in the products consumed. The awareness of this model is a matter of curiosity in the society in general and the view of university students on the subject is important. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of GE behavior among university students. The study was conducted between 17.04.22-17.05.22 with the participation of 208 university students. Data were collected using “Demographic Data Form" prepared by the researcher and the "GE Scale" developed by Weller et al., in 2014. In addition to descriptive statistical methods (number, percentage, mean, median, standard deviation, etc.), Mann-Whitney U Test and Kruskal Wallis-H Test were used to test the quantitative differences between groups. According to our findings, the mean scores of school self-efficacy (p=0.005) and home self-efficacy (p=0.001) of the students who did not practice and did not plan to practice GE behavior were found to be low and statistically significant. The mean scores of students living in dormitories at the stage of implementing and maintaining this model were also low and significant (p=0.018). The independent variables affecting GE behavior were school and home self-efficacy factors. As a result of our study, it was seen that the arrangements made in school, home and dormitory conditions can be effective for the implementation of GE. It is recommended that necessary arrangements should be made in common dining areas at school and dormitory, and students should raise awareness and reconsider their consumption preferences at home.