Abstract:OBJECTIVE To compare the status of nutritional knowledge, attitude, behavior and health literacy of undergraduate students from two different universities in the eastern and western regions in China, and to provide evidence for nutritional and health education in different regions. METHODS A cluster sample of 1 016 students from Lanzhou University and Shandong University received the self-designed questionnaire survey about nutritional knowledge-attitude-behavior and health literacy. 513 students came from Lanzhou University and 503 students came from Shandong University. RESULTS There were significant differences in the scores of nutritional knowledge, dietary behavior and health literacy between the two universities(P<0.05). Nutritional knowledge scores of medical students who received the nutrition course were higher at Shandong University (23.70±3.53 points) than Lanzhou University (21.11±3.88 points). The eating behaviors scores of students were higher in Shandong University (24.64±3.38 points) than Lanzhou University(23.18±3.34 points) (P<0.05); The arts students’ nutritional attitude scores at Shandong University(6.95±2.11 points) was higher than Lanzhou University(6.34±2.28 points), and the health literacy scores of Lanzhou University (11.46±2.87 points) was higher than Shandong University (10.58±2.90 points). It found that area and grade were the main influencing factors of nutritional KAP and health literacy’s score differences in these two universities. CONCLUSION There were regional differences in the scores of KAP and health literacy among college students in these two universities, and the difference of scores among senior students was even more significant. Conducting nutritional education helped to improve health literacy, it was suggested that students in more developed areas develop reasonable living habits while students in underdeveloped areas attach importance to establishing positive nutritional attitudes.