Objective  To examine current status of dietary knowledge , attitudes and influencing factors of dietary health literacy among Chinese people aged 18 and over in 2015 and to provide evidences for conducting health education on dietary nutrition.

  Methods  The data on dietary knowledge among 12 836 residents over 18 years old in 15 provinces/municipalities/autonomous regions of China were extracted from the database of National Health and Nutrition Survey conducted in 2015. SPSS 22.0 statistical software was used in data analysis.

  Results  Among the participants, only 4.70% were aware of all the 17 items of dietary knowledge listed in the survey; the overall awareness rate for dietary knowledge was 65.94%; the awareness rate for diet pyramid or food guide pyramid was 27.04%; 27.64% reported an active attitude towards obtaining dietary knowledge; and 36.01% were assessed as having adequate dietary health literacy, respectively. The reported common ways to obtain dietary knowledge were television or radio (reported by 50.48% of the participants), internet (22.27%), and books, newspapers or magazines (14.74%). Multivariate unconditional logistic analysis indicated that the participants with the education of junior high school and above, being employed, being aware of diet pyramid or food guide pyramid, and having a willingness to obtain dietary knowledge actively were more likely to have adequate dietary health literacy; while, those aged 35 – 44 years and with rural household registration were less likely to have adequate dietary health literacy.

  Conclusion  The dietary health literacy and positive attitude towards the literacy are at a low level among adult residents in China and dietary health education should be promoted among populations in rural regions, aged 35 – 44 years, with low education, and not being employed.