Simple Strategies for Reducing Fat Reprinted from Food Insight January/February 1992 Put Fun Back Into Food For many, a New Year's resolution to improve the diet brings renewed willpower to change some old habits. Whether the goal is to lose weight or improve overall health, most tend to take a "good food/bad food" approach, completely giving up their favorite higher-fat foods for a diet rich in lower-fat foods. But will the old habits kick back in? "Most of them do," said Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., professor of nutrition at the Pennsylvania State University. "It's not easy to make major changes in eating patterns in just a few weeks." A recent study conducted by Kris-Etherton and Madeleine Sigman-Grant, Ph.D., R.D., professor of food science at Penn State, set out to find simple, practical ways consumers can reduce dietary fat. The study, published in the January issue of the Journal of The American Dietetic Association, uses computer modeling to identify which techniques, or combinations of them, were effective in achieving less than 30 percent of calories from fat and reduced intakes of saturated fat. Kris-Etherton and Sigman-Grant developed separate seven-day menus for men and women using foods typical of the American diet. Specific foods were incorporated on the basis of their nutrient profile and some common higher-fat foods were included in the menus, such as cookies and french fries, to maintain flexibility in food choices. Using specific strategies, Kris-Etherton and Sigman-Grant modified the menus so that dietary fat would meet recommended levels. The most significant and effective strategies included substituting lean meats and low fat cheeses for higher-fat selections, substituting skim milk for whole or low-fat milk, and using fat-modified foods such as lower-fat dressings and spreads. "By making simple changes, men and women could meet dietary goals for both total fat and saturated fat without depriving themselves off some of the higher-fat foods they enjoy," Kris-Etherton said. "These strategies represent very realistic options that can have a lasting effect on peoples' diets." Because higher-fat meats and whole milk supply such a large percentage of fat in the diet, Kris-Etherton says that modest changes such as switching to lean meats and low-fat cheeses are more effective in achieving dietary goals than totally giving up chips, cookies and occasional treats. "One of the major findings in this study is that the strategies one can apply are relatively simple," says Kris-Etherton. "A variety of these strategies can be used and combined so that people can include certain higher-fat foods that they really like and still achieve less than 30 percent calories from fat in their diets." Although men and women do not require different foods to reduce dietary fat, women must make more adjustments in their diet because of their lower overall energy intake. In other words, because women consume fewer calories, each food choice represents a larger proportion of the diet. Women could meet dietary recommendations by substituting medium-fat exchanges in combination with other strategies, such as skim milk for whole milk. However, men achieved less than 30 percent of calories from fat using one single strategy: substituting lean meat for higher-fat cuts. And for those wanting to shed pounds? "Our work has shown that if you decrease fat in the diet you automatically decrease calories." Kris-Etherton said. "An individual can lose between one-half to one pound per week just by decreasing fat from the present level of 36 percent of calories to the recommended level of 30 percent." Methodology Computer modeling was used in the study to identify which techniques designed to achieve dietary fat reduction were the most effective in meeting dietary recommendations of 30 percent calories from fat. Menus typical of current eating patterns were developed for men and nonpregnant, nonlactating women, 25 to 50 years old. Data from USDA's Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals were used to develop these typical menus. The menus were modified using the Minnesota Nutrition Data System to determine the reduction of fat content achieved through various substitutions. The research emphasis was on finding dietary modifications that could be acceptable to everyday consumers by keeping favorite foods such as cookies and french fries in the diet. The researchers then developed "formulas" for strategies that could bring a typical menu within the range of 30 percent calories from fat. These formulas were made up of the following five strategies: SKM = skim mild replaced whole and 2% fat milk LRM = low-fat/2% milk replaced whole milk MMtEx = medium-fat meat exchanges replaced higher fat cuts LMtEx = lean meat exchanges replaced higher fat cuts FMP = fat-modified products replaced full-fat products For men, each of the following strategies achieved dietary goals: LMtEx SKM + LMtEx SKM + LMtEx + FMP LMtEx + FMP LMtEx + FMP + LFM LMtEx + LFM Putting the formulas into action, LMtEx + FMP might call for replacing spareribs and full-fat dressing with choice sirloin and low-calorie dressing. All of the strategies reduced calories by 195 to 415 and achieved less than 30 percent calories from fat and less than 300 mg cholesterol. Women were unable to achieve dietary goals using a single strategy, unlike men. Again, this is because women have lower overall calorie intakes. Only combinations of strategies were effective for women: SKM + LMtEx SKM + FMP SKM + MMtEx + FMP These strategies reduced calories by 150 to 268 and achieved dietary goals for fat and cholesterol. The application of nutrition recommendations in their daily eating habits often confuses consumers. "People tend to adopt an all-or-nothing attitude when simple changes in their diet may be most effective," Kris-Etherton said. Registered dietitians can help individuals and families choose strategies that best meet their needs. "Our findings enable us to tell people that they have choices. That's the key." Reprinted from the International Food Information Council Foundation, 1992

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