Relationship among Food-safety Knowledge, Beliefs, and Risk-reduction Behavior in University Students in Japan

Objective: To identify whether university students who have both food-safety knowledge and beliefs perform risk-reduction behaviors. Design: Cross-sectional research using a questionnaire that included food-safety knowledge, perceptions, risk-reduction behavior, stages for the selection of safer food based on the Transtheoretical Model, and demographic characteristics. Setting: Four universities in eastern Japan and 2 universities in western Japan. Participants: University students (n = 799). Main Outcome Measures: Food-safety knowledge, beliefs, and risk-reduction behaviors. Analysis: Answers on measures assessing risk perception and food-safety knowledge were combined to form 4 groups of participants. Relationships among demographic characteristics, the 4 groups, risk-reduction behaviors, stage of change, and severity and susceptibility were assessed. Results: The proportion of students who had more knowledge of food safety and a belief that "there are no 100% safe food items'' was high in the group that frequently performed risk-reduction behaviors, as it was in the group who had taken a basic class about food or health care and who had, or were working toward, a food or nutrition qualification. Conclusions and Implications: University students who thought that there were no 100% safe food items and who had more knowledge about food safety were more likely to confirm food-safety information when selecting food.