Factors influencing dietary fat intake among black emerging adults

ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine what factors influenced dietary fat intake (DFI) among black emerging adults. Participants: Sample included 251 black emerging adults, ages 18–25 years, living in the US. Methods: This was a nonexperimental cross-sectional study based on self-report data. Results: The sample had high DFI. Factors related to DFI were gender (r_pb = −.22, p < .001), perceived barriers for healthy eating (r = .32, p < .001), and perceived self-efficacy (r = −.33, p < .001). These variables were also significant predictors for DFI. Gender was significantly related to DFI (b = −5.894, p = .000). Religious commitment moderated the effect of stress on DFI. Conclusions: Gender, perceived barriers for healthy eating, and perceived self-efficacy were significant predictors for DFI. Religious commitment influenced the relationship of perceived stress and DFI. These findings may lead to interventions designed to reduce DFI and cardiovascular risks among black emerging adults.

KEYWORDS:

• Black emerging adults
• dietary fat intake
• nutrition
• obesity
• religious commitment

Acknowledgments

This study would not have been possible without the participants. The authors would also like to acknowledge Lynn Rew, Gayle Acton, and Marc Musick.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research present in this article meet the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of the University of Texas at Austin.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are thankful for the financial research support from donors, such as the Good Samaritan Foundation and Sigma Theta Tau (Epsilon Theta Chapter).