Fat-gram counting and food-record rating are equally effective for evaluating food records in reduced-fat diets.
OBJECTIVE
To compare rates of adherence to low-fat diets using food-record rating and fat-gram counting, to evaluate dietary adherence using the fat-gram counting method, and to assess correlations between food-record rating and fat-gram counting.


METHODS
A diet monitoring and observation study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of food-record rating and fat-gram counting to evaluate dietary adherence. Subjects were randomly assigned to the food-record rating group of the fat-gram counting group. Each participant was asked to complete four 3-day food records. Food records were evaluated by food-record rating for one group and by fat-gram counting for the other. Each record was then scored using the alternate system. For a subset, manually calculated fat-gram values were compared for accuracy with values from the Nutrient Data Systems database.


METHODS
Mantel-Haenszel chi 2, regression, and K analyses were used to evaluate adherence rates and within-subject agreement between fat-gram counting and food-record rating.


METHODS
Seventy-eight participants were recruited from a lipid-lowering research trial conducted in Houston, Tex.


RESULTS
Strong correlations were found between fat-gram values calculated manually and those calculated using the Nutrient Data Systems. No significant differences in adherence rates were found between the food-record rating and fat-gram counting groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Fat-gram counting is at least as effective as food-record rating in monitoring dietary fat content. Dietitians can use it as an alternative dietary fat-monitoring procedure for clinical practice and research.
Roy
D S
DS
Harris County Health Department, Houston, Tex, USA.
Kimball
K T
KT
Mendoza-Martinez
H
H
Mateski
D J
DJ
Insull
W
W
D015930:Diet Records; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011786:Quality Control
D004041:Dietary Fats