Behaviors to Reduce Dietary Fat and Related Factors in the Over-45 Population

An exploratory study was conducted to empirically assess perceptions and be haviors related to reducing dietary fat among individuals over 45 years of age. A mail questionnaire was sent to randomly selected male and female heads of household (n = 800) in the Pacific Northwest, with a 63% response rate. More than half of the respondents had reportedly tried and maintained 25 different behaviors to reduce dietary fat, including avoidance, substitution, and modifica tion behaviors. Knowledge about ways to reduce dietary fat was widespread. However, other perceptions about the experience of, or outcomes associated with, reducing dietary fat implied that many consumers were ambivalent about this issue. Frequent consumption of a high-fat food pattern was related to failure to initiate or maintain behaviors to reduce dietary fat, limited knowledge of ways to reduce dietary fat, infrequent exercise, and relatively higher household incomes. Directions for future research are discussed.