Abstract
Knowledge and attitudes on current selection of fats and oils were surveyed among college students and USDA extension off campus faculties. The objective of this survey was to obtain information about the nutrition knowledge and attitudes toward fats and to assess relationships between the nutrition knowledge, general attitudes toward dietary fats, and specific attitudes toward the eating of certain foods. The attitudes toward and nutrition knowledge of dietary fat sections consisted of 22 and 39 statements respectively. Avoiding red meat and eggs and avoiding fats as a flavoring were attitudes whose maintenance may require special, long-term intervention strategies. Replacing high-fat foods with low-fat foods, modification(cutting fat off any meat) and substitution were easily adopted and maintained low-fat habit. The responses to wanting to lose some weight and feeling better if increasing exercise were favorable. The attitudes toward the possible relationships between fat consumption and health were favorable. Respondents on the nutrition knowledge test attained a mean score of 129.69 and a median score of 127 our of the highest possible score of 200. Extension off campus faculties, nutrition majoring/majored subjects, and over 41-year-olds tended to have more favorable general attitudes and specific attitudes toward the consumption of certain foods and higher knowledge. Senior students had more negative general attitudes and specific attitudes, and college graduates and graduate students had more nutrition knowledge. Nutrition know-ledge was related to general attitudes toward dietary fats, but not to more specific attitudes toward the eating of certain foods. Nutrition education will not be effective in modifying the intake of dietary fats in the population because nutrition knowledge related to general attitudes toward dietary fats and general nutrition practice but not the eating of certain foods.