Nutrition literacy and diet quality among adolescents in North Cyprus: a school-based cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Nutrition literacy has been increasingly recognized as a fundamental determinant of healthy eating behaviors during adolescence. Adolescence is a critical phase for growth and adoption of long-term healthy habits. However, there are limited evidence on the correlation between nutrition literacy and diet quality in adolescents. This study aims to evaluate the nutrition literacy and diet quality in adolescents and analyze the relationship between these variables. Methods This cross-sectional study is comprised of a total of 320 adolescents studying in grade 9–12. Participants were recruited from all state-run secondary schools in the Morphou district using a multi-stage proportional stratified random sampling approach, with proportional allocation across grade and sex strata and random selection within classrooms. The sociodemographic characteristics were collected through a structured survey. The nutrition literacy was evaluated with the Adolescent Nutrition Literacy Scale (ANLS) and diet quality with the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index in Children and Adolescents (KIDMED). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated with anthropometric measurements and BMI percentiles were identified as per age and gender. A correlation analysis was developed to analyze the relationship between the components and nutrition literacy and diet quality scores. Results The average age of participants is 15.39 ± 1.10. The average ANLS total score is 69.17 ± 4.75, which indicates a medium-high nutrition literacy. There is no significant different across genders as per their total nutrition literacy scores ( p  = 0.336). Functional nutrition literacy (FNL) has a strong but negative correlation with the interactive nutrition literacy (INL) ( r  = − 0.453; p  < 0.01). Moreover, FNL reflected weak yet positive correlation with total nutrition literacy ( r  = 0.222; p  < 0.01) and KIDMED scores ( r  = 0.118; p  < 0.05). Conclusion No significant association was observed between the ANLS total score and diet quality among adolescents. However, a weak but statistically significant association was observed between FNL and diet quality. Strengthening nutrition literacy through age- and gender-sensitive, school-based, and evidence-based interventions may contribute to healthier dietary behaviors and potential long-term improvements in public health outcomes.