Efficacy of a minimal intervention to reduce fat intake

Christopher J. Armitage and Mark Conner

Social Science & Medicine, 2001, vol. 52, issue 10, 1517-1524

Abstract: Effective dietary interventions must be developed to reduce fat intake in whole populations, rather than clinical subgroups. This study tested the effects of personalised feedback on fat intake in a general population. Hospital workers (n=801) were randomised to receive personalised feedback or no personalised feedback. Personalised feedback consisted of one sentence expressing current fat intake as a percentage of total calorific intake. Changes in fat intake from baseline to five months post-intervention were evaluated. The personalised intervention produced significant decreases in total and saturated fat intake, compared with the control group. Total-fat decreased by 8.6% (versus 0.2% in the control group); saturated fat decreased by 9.3% (versus 1.7% in the control group). Fat intake as a proportion of total calorific intake did not decrease significantly in either condition. Findings also revealed differential effects of feedback on high- versus low-fat consumer groups. Personalised feedback significantly reduced fat intake in high-fat consumers, and prevented low-fat consumers from increasing their fat intake. Personalised fat feedback therefore represents an efficacious and low-intensity approach to the reduction of fat intake in the general population.

Keywords: Fat; intake; Diet; Health; promotion; Randomised; controlled; trial; Health; risk (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2001
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