SELF-RATED DIETARY-FAT INTAKE - ASSOCIATION WITH OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENTOF FAT, PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS, AND INTENTION TO CHANGE

In order to study the role of awareness of dietary fat intake as a pos sible factor in the process of dietary behavior change, data on 1507 a dult subjects gathered in The Netherlands were analyzed. Objective ass essments of dietary fat intake were compared to self-rated, or subject ive, dietary fat intake among a Dutch study population. A majority of the respondents had an unrealistic view of their own fat intake. Men w ere more often unrealistic than women. Underestimation of fat intake w as especially prevalent. Self-rated dietary fat intake, and not object ively assessed fat intake, proved to be a significant correlate of int ention to reduce fat consumption in the near future among women. Psych osocial determinants of fat intake were stronger correlates of self-ra ted fat intake than of objectively assessed fat intake. It was conclud ed that underestimation of one's own dietary fat intake could be a maj or barrier in healthy diet promotion aimed at reducing fat consumption in The Netherlands. Therefore, improving dietary fat intake awareness should be given priority as a first step in healthy diet promotion st rategies. Personal feedback and advice could be a means to improving t he realistic estimation of dietary fat intake.