Characteristics of American women aged 19 through 50 years consuming a lower fat diet

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Abstract
We examined data from 2134 women, aged 19 through 50 years, selected using a multistage stratified area probability sample representative of the United States as part of the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals 1985–86 conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Individual dietary intake was estimated from 4 non‐consecutive 24‐hour dietary recalls collected from each respondent throughout the survey year. Information on selected socioeconomic characteristics as well as self‐report of body size were also obtained. Women were classified according to three levels of energy from fat intake (<30%, 30–39%, and ≥40%). Women in the lowest level of energy from fat consumed significantly fewer calories for energy, and less cholesterol, sodium and zinc than women in the middle and highest categories of fat intake, but significantly more ascorbic acid and alcohol. Additionally, women in the lowest fat intake group were significantly less likely to meet the RDA for zinc and calcium and significantly more likely to meet the RDA for ascorbic acid than women in the groups with greater fat intake. These results suggest that low‐fat diet interventions to prevent chronic diseases also need to consider issues of adequate mineral intake, particularly calcium and zinc.