title: Relationship among food-safety knowledge, beliefs, and risk-reduction behavior in university students in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify whether university students who have both food-safety knowledge and beliefs perform risk-reduction behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four universities in eastern Japan and 2 universities in western Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  University students (n = 799).
  
  
  METHODS
  Food-safety knowledge, beliefs, and risk-reduction behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  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
  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.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Sayaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akamatsu
authors.forename: Itsuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Horiguchi
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marui
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D059022:Food Safety; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult