New Perspectives in Science Education

The production, processing and consumption of our food play a decisive role in the consideration of human resource consumption. Against the current climate change, increasing land consumption, decreasing water availability and a growing world population, the review and adaptation of food systems in terms of social, ecological and economic sustainability is one of the central tasks both for politics and for the agricultural and food industry [1]. Our nutritional habits are an important field of action for promoting ecologically sustainable development. However, it is not always easy for individuals to make the right decision in terms of a healthy and sustainable nutrition. Our eating behavior is highly complex and linked to other everyday activities in many ways. The following study attempts to uncover the extent to which young people eat sustainably and healthily. This question is considered in terms of the theory of planned behavior. The intention of young people to eat healthily and sustainably is considered, as well as other motivational factors such as attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SN) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) [2, 3]. In addition, the level of knowledge on the topic and its influence on the intention is measured. A total of 171 students (age ø: 17.3; n= 96 ♀/ n =75 ♂) from Bremen completed a questionnaire. The results clearly show that especially ATT and PBC toward sustainable and healthy nutrition correlate positively and significantly with intention. There is also a significant and positive correlation between knowledge (system-knowledge and action-related- knowledge) and intention to eat healthily and sustainably. The results of the regression analysis also show that the theory-internal factors (ATT, SN and PBC) together explain 54% of the intention to eat healthily and sustainably. If knowledge is also taken into account in the model (self-evaluation of knowledge), the model explains a further 3% of the intention. In the extended model, ATT, PBC and knowledge are the key determinants of intention. It is clear from these results that these influencing factors should form the starting points in subsequent studies in order to sensitize students to healthy and sustainable eating habits.