Defining Food Literacy and Its Application to Nutrition Interventions: A scoping Review

Hye lim Yoo; Eun bin Jo; Kirang Kim; Sohyun Park

doi:10.5720/kjcn.2021.26.2.77

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Defining Food Literacy and Its Application to Nutrition Interventions: A scoping Review: Hye lim Yoo, Eun bin Jo, Kirang Kim, Sohyun Park; Korean Journal of Community Nutrition 2021;26(2):77-92.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2021.26.2.77
Published online: April 30, 2021

¹Student, Department of Food Science and Nutrition & The Korean Institute of Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea

²Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea

³) Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition & The Korean Institute of Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea

Corresponding author: Sohyun Park, Tel: +82-33-248-2134, Fax: +82-33-256-3420,
Email: sopark@hallym.ac.kr

Received: 10 March 2021 • Revised: 29 April 2021 • Accepted: 29 April 2021

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Abstract

Objectives
Food literacy (FL) can be an important concept that embodies the nutritional capabilities of individuals. The purpose of this study was to introduce the definition and core elements of FL from previous literature, to summarize measurement tools and intervention programs with FL, and to suggest the direction of future research and programs to integrate the concept of FL. Methods: The literature review was conducted through PubMed and Google Scholar databases by combining the search term ‘food literacy’ with ‘definition’, ‘measurement’, ‘questionnaire’, ‘intervention’, and ‘program’. Among the 94 papers primarily reviewed 31 manuscripts that suited the purpose of the study were used for analyses. Results: There is no consensus on the definition of FL that encompasses the multidimensional aspects of the concept. The definitions of FL were slightly different depending on the authors, and the interpretation of the core elements also varied. Based on the review, we propose a framework of FL that is in line with the current discussion among international researchers. This focuses on the core elements adapted from health literacy, namely functional, interactive, and critical FL. Specifically, we suggest some detailed elements for interactive and critical FL, which were often the subject of divergent views among researchers in previous literature. We found that most of the tools in the reviewed literature provided information on validity and reliability and were developed for a specific target population. Also, most of the tools were focused on functional FL. Similarly, most of the interventions targeted functional FL. Conclusions: This study reviewed the definition and core elements of FL, available measurement tools, and intervention programs using validated tools. We propose the development of tools with sound reliability and validity that encompass the three core elements of FL for different age groups. This will help to understand whether improving food literacy can translate into better nutritional intake and health status among individuals and communities.

Keywords: food literacy; definition; measurement tool; intervention study; scoping review

Korean J Community Nutr. 2021 Apr;26(2):77-92. Korean.
Published online Apr 30, 2021.
https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2021.26.2.77

Review

Defining Food Literacy and Its Application to Nutrition Interventions: A scoping Review

Hye lim Yoo

,¹ Eun bin Jo

,¹ Kirang Kim

,² and Sohyun Park

Author information

Author notes

- ¹Student, Department of Food Science and Nutrition & The Korean Institute of Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.
- ²Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea.
- ³Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition & The Korean Institute of Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.
Corresponding author: Sohyun Park. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Center for Public Health Nutrition, Hallym University, 1 Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do 24252, Korea. Tel: +82-33-248-2134, Fax: +82-33-256-3420, Email: sopark@hallym.ac.kr

Received March 10, 2021; Revised April 29, 2021; Accepted April 29, 2021.

This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Objectives

Food literacy (FL) can be an important concept that embodies the nutritional capabilities of individuals. The purpose of this study was to introduce the definition and core elements of FL from previous literature, to summarize measurement tools and intervention programs with FL, and to suggest the direction of future research and programs to integrate the concept of FL.

Methods

The literature review was conducted through PubMed and Google Scholar databases by combining the search term ‘food literacy’ with ‘definition’, ‘measurement’, ‘questionnaire’, ‘intervention’, and ‘program’. Among the 94 papers primarily reviewed 31 manuscripts that suited the purpose of the study were used for analyses.

Results

There is no consensus on the definition of FL that encompasses the multidimensional aspects of the concept. The definitions of FL were slightly different depending on the authors, and the interpretation of the core elements also varied. Based on the review, we propose a framework of FL that is in line with the current discussion among international researchers. This focuses on the core elements adapted from health literacy, namely functional, interactive, and critical FL. Specifically, we suggest some detailed elements for interactive and critical FL, which were often the subject of divergent views among researchers in previous literature. We found that most of the tools in the reviewed literature provided information on validity and reliability and were developed for a specific target population. Also, most of the tools were focused on functional FL. Similarly, most of the interventions targeted functional FL.

Conclusions

This study reviewed the definition and core elements of FL, available measurement tools, and intervention programs using validated tools. We propose the development of tools with sound reliability and validity that encompass the three core elements of FL for different age groups. This will help to understand whether improving food literacy can translate into better nutritional intake and health status among individuals and communities.

Keywords

food literacy; definition; measurement tool; intervention study; scoping review

Figures

Fig. 1
Scoping review process

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Fig. 2
A schematic diagram of food literacy core concepts

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Tables

Table 1
Food literacy definition over time

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Table 2
Food literacy conceptual frameworks with components

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Table 3
Measurement tools with tested validity and reliability

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Table 4
Programs or intervention studies of food literacy

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2017R1C1B5017335).

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