DIET FAT AND FIBER KNOWLEDGE, BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ARE MINIMALLY INFLUENCED BY HEALTH-STATUS

Over 2700 subjects were surveyed to determine if a particular disease condition resulted in better knowledge, beliefs and dietary practices in relation to fat and fiber intakes. Using discriminant analysis, it appeared that the presence of disease conditions could affect these as pects of fat and fiber intake, but the contribution was minimal. Gener al overall nutrition knowledge was lower for subjects reporting osteop orosis, and knowledge of specific facts about fiber was significantly lower in hypertensive and heart disease subjects. Dietary practices re lated to selection of high fat food was poorer in hypertensives than n ormotensives. Those with heart disease and hypercholesterolemia had be tter knowledge about fat than those without this condition. Only subje cts with heart disease had more appropriate beliefs toward diet fat an d health than did other subjects. Dietary practices appeared to be a f actor for only two disease conditions. Subjects self-reporting elevate d blood cholesterol levels had more appropriate fiber and fat practice s, and diabetics had better diet fiber practices than others. Using mu ltiple regression analysis, older subjects had lower fat and higher fi ber intakes, whereas those with greater BMI had poorer diet practices with respect to fat and fiber Furthermore, the analysis indicated that individuals with the belief that fat or fiber intake could affect hea lth and well-being, and those with better nutrition knowledge, had bet ter dietary practices.