Factors Influencing Dietary Fat Intake among Black Emerging Adults.

ABSTRACTObjective: 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 (rpb = −.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.