What do consumers really think about dietary fat?

Nutrition communications in recent years have placed a priority on reducing dietary fat. Survey findings suggest this priority has fostered consumer obsession with and confusion about dietary fat and contributed to misperceptions about healthful eating. The obsession, confusion, and misperceptions about dietary fat and healthful eating, in turn, have created obstacles to achieving dietary goals. This overview of consumer knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding dietary fat may allow dietetics and other professionals to tailor nutrition communication efforts toward clearing the confusion and better fostering success in reaching dietary goals. Nutrition communicators are encouraged to work together to restore reason to nutrition messages and recommendations and joy to food and eating in an effort to help consumers truly achieve nutrition and health goals.