title: How are consumers of low-fat and high-fat diets perceived by those with lower and higher fat intake?
abstract: Dietary social stereotypes may hinder dietary change. The aim of this study was to measure stereotypes attributed to consumers of low-fat and high-fat diets, and to investigate if stereotype attribution differed with subjects' fat intake. A sample of 100 subjects completed a 24-h dietary recall for the estimation of macronutrient intake, and then completed a questionnaire which assessed the stereotypes associated with a low-fat and a high-fat diet. The low-fat diet was associated with a "healthy", "slim", "fit" and "sporty" person, who was "intelligent", "middle class" and "female". Conversely, the high-fat diet was associated with an "unhealthy", "overweight", "unfit" and "inactive" person, who was "unintelligent", "working class", "smoking" and "male". Followers of the low-fat diet were seen as "serious" and "highly strung", while followers of the high-fat diet were seen as "fun-loving" and "happy". However, positive stereotypes were the predominant descriptors of consumers of the low-fat diet, while negative stereotypes were the predominant descriptors of consumers of the high-fat diet by both men and women. Older people were more likely to choose negative descriptors for a follower of the low-fat diet. Subjects were grouped according to their own fat intake. A high-fat (>33% fat energy) group selected more positive and negative stereotypes to describe high- and low-fat diet consumers, respectively, than did their low-fat counterparts (<33% fat energy). Choice of "happy" to describe a follower of a high-fat diet had four-fold higher odds for the high-fat group. The social meaning and values associated with food choices require further investigation. Health education may need to redress some of these stereotypes.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human Nutrition, University of Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tandy
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Stookey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted / Q000523:psychology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D012938:Social Perception; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats