Individual and environmental correlates of dietary fat intake in rural communities: A structural equation model analysis

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) Vol. 71; no. 1; pp. 93 - 101
• Main Authors: Hermstad, April K., Swan, Deanne W., Kegler, Michelle C., Barnette, J.K., Glanz, Karen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2010; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Series: Social Science & Medicine
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet Surveys; Dietary fat; Dietary fat Eating patterns Psychosocial Food environment Rural USA Gender; Dietary Fats - administration & dosage; Eating patterns; Empowerment; Environmental Factors; Feeding Behavior - psychology; Female; Food environment; Food habits; Gender; Georgia; Health promotion; Heart Diseases; Home Environment; Humans; Individuality; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Models, Psychological; Nutrition; Obesity; Observation; Oils & fats; Psychosocial; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Residence Characteristics; Risk factors; Rural; Rural areas; Rural Communities; Rural Population - statistics & numerical data; Self Efficacy; Sex Factors; Social Environment; Social sciences; Social Support; U.S.A; USA; Womens Roles; United States; North America; America; United States > US; Georgia; USA, Georgia; Rural; Psychosocial; USA; Eating patterns; Food environment; Dietary fat; Gender; Human; Statistical analysis; Feeding behavior; Rural environment; Methodology; Lipids; Psychosocial factor; Feeding; Food intake; Environment; Structural model; Social medicine; Social aspect; Community; Public health; Food
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.03.028

Total dietary fat and saturated fat intake are associated with obesity, elevated cholesterol, and heart disease. This study tested a multi-group structural equation model to explore differences in the relative influence of individual, social, and physical environment factors on dietary fat intake amongst adults aged 40–70 years. Participants from four rural Georgia, U.S., counties (n = 527) completed a cross-sectional survey that included questions about eating patterns and individual and social influences on healthy eating. Observational measures of nutrition environments in stores and restaurants in these counties also were completed. Models for both women and men found significant positive relationships between self-efficacy for healthy eating and perceived nutrition environments and family support for healthy eating. The association between self-efficacy for eating a low-fat diet and frequency of eating out and grocery shopping was negative for both genders. The home nutrition environment was associated with dietary fat intake for women but not men. The results indicate that the influence of individual and environmental factors on dietary fat intake differs for men and women, with the home environment playing a larger role for women in rural communities.