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

Abstract

Background. This pilot study aimed to explore the nutritional knowledge, attitudes and dietary fat consumption in male students attending Leeds Metropolitan 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 about the subject characteristics, such as weight, height and alcohol consumption. Results. Eighty subjects were approached, from whom 56 questionnaires were returned completed. The results revealed few significant differences between subject characteristics according to fat intakes, with the exception of alcohol consumption, which was greater in the high fat consumers. The main findings of the study were that subjects with a high fat intake had significantly more negative attitudes towards reducing fat consumption compared with those who had a lower fat intake. However, there was no statistically significant difference between nutritional knowledge and fat consumption and no relationship was found between level of nutritional knowledge and attitudes. Conclusion. It was concluded that negative attitudes towards reducing fat consumption might be more important barriers to dietary change than level of nutritional knowledge in male students. This constitutes an important target for health promoters in encouraging dietary change in men.