The relationship between nutritional knowledge, attitudes and dietary fat consumption in male students

Background This pilot study aimed to explore the nutritional knowledge, att itudes and dietary fat consumption in male students attending Leeds Metropo litan University. Methods A Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used to determine the fat intakes of subjects. This was incorporated into a questionnaire designed to measure nutritional knowledge and attitudes. Questions were also asked abo ut the subject characteristics, such as weight, height and alcohol consumpt ion. Results Eighty subjects were approached, from whom 56 questionnaires were r eturned completed. The results revealed few significant differences between subject characteristics according to fat intakes, with the exception of al cohol consumption, which was greater in the high fat consumers. The main fi ndings of the study were that subjects with a high fat intake had significa ntly more negative attitudes towards reducing fat, consumption compared wit h those who had a lower fat intake. However, there was no statistically sig nificant difference between nutritional knowledge and fat consumption and n o relationship was found between level of nutritional knowledge and attitud es. Conclusion It was concluded that negative attitudes towards reducing fat co nsumption might be more important barriers to dietary change than level of nutritional knowledge in male students. This constitutes an important targe t for health promoters in encouraging dietary change in men.