Dietary fat reduction strategies used by a group of adults aged 50 years and older

Objective To investigate the fat-reduction strategies used by a group of ol der adults who successfully made and maintained positive dietary changes fo r 5 years or longer. Design Participants completed 2 copies of a self-administered food frequenc y questionnaire: The first copy assessed diet before they began making chan ges and the second copy assessed diet after initiation of healthful dietary changes. Positive food changes were identified from the food frequency que stionnaires. During in-person interviews, participants placed food changes onto a time line according to the nearest estimated date of initiation of t he change. Subjects Participants were 65 free-living older adults (aged > 50 years) wh o had maintained substantial changes to decrease fat intake in their diet f or at, least 5 years. Statistical analyses performed Quantitative and qualitative data were used to identify the fat-reduction strategies acid to confirm and validate the f at-reduction strategy model. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to confirm the new model. The Kuder-Richardson-20 reliability coefficient (kr) was used to determine internal consistency of the scales developed for the study. Results The majority of participants decreased their fat intake gradually, at different time points in their lives, and over a long period of tune (5 to 43 years). Mean percent energy intake from fat decreased from 44.3 +/- 5 .9% before dietary improvement to 25.9 +/- 7.1% at the time of the study. T he final model consisted of 5 fat-reduction strategies with 63 food changes . The strategies were: increase summer fruits (4 items; kr=0.66), increase vegetables and grains (14 items; kr=0.79), decrease recreational foods (14 items; kr=0.76), decrease cooking fat (20 items; kr=0.86), and use fat-modi fied foods (11 items; kr=0.80). Applications/conclusions Dietetics professionals should base their advice o n the dietary strategies used by consumers rather than hypothetical premise s such as food or nutrient groupings. Nutrition education interventions wil l have better chances for success if they are based on a set of customized programs that guide appropriate consumer segments through a series of small , comfortable. and sustainable dietary changes over a prolonged period of t ime.