Associations between digital healthy diet literacy, artificial intelligence attitudes, mediterranean diet adherence, and health-related quality of life in adults

OBJECTIVE: In the digital age, the ability to critically evaluate online nutritional information is of paramount importance. This study aimed to examine the relationships between digital healthy diet literacy (DHDL), attitudes towards artificial intelligence (AI), adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD), and the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life in adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Ankara, Turkey, using snowball sampling and a web-based questionnaire; 1240 adults (740 women, 500 men) aged 18–65 were included in the study. Data were collected through a web-based questionnaire that included demographic information, self-reported anthropometric measurements, and validated scales. The scales used include: Digital Eating Literacy Scale, Attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence Scale, Short Form-12 Quality of Life Scale (SF-12), and Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale (MEDAS). RESULTS: DHDL scores showed significant positive correlations with AI attitude scores (r = 0.195), the physical (r = 0.218) and mental (r = 0.291) components of health-related quality of life, and MD adherence (r = 0.206) (p < 0.001 for all). Similarly, higher attitudes toward AI were significantly associated with better MD adherence (r = 0.250) and higher physical (r = 0.138) and mental (r = 0.129) quality of life. Linear regression analyses indicated that demographic and socioeconomic factors such as gender, age, marital status, education and income level, and employment status were significant predictors of digital healthy diet literacy (DHDL), AI attitudes, Physical Component Summary-12 (PCS-12), Mental Component Summary-12 (MCS-12), and MEDAS scores (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: High DHDL levels, positive attitudes toward AI, and high adherence with MD are interrelated and positively correlated with better health-related quality of life. In public health strategies, incorporating holistic interventions that improve DHDL, encourage positive interaction with AI-based health tools, and support adherence to evidence-based dietary patterns such as the MD may contribute to improved overall well-being.