Heart disease knowledge and dietary intakes of African Americans aged 18–30 years

Abstract

Heart disease knowledge and dietary intakes were assessed with a convenience sample of 192 African Americans aged 18–30 years in Arizona. The Jackson Heart Study food frequency questionnaire and a validated heart disease knowledge instrument were self‐administered. Participants had a mean age of 22.1± 3.7 years, an average BMI of 27.4 ± 6.2, and 70% had at least 1 year of college education. Forty percent of the sample was male. College educated participants consumed slightly more servings of fruits and vegetables daily (2.3± 1.5 vs. 2.0 ± 1.6; p=.248), and less mean fat intakes (g/d) (21.1± 7.5 vs. 25.1 ± 8.8; p=0.003) than non‐college educated participants. Recognition of some prevention measures such as reducing dietary cholesterol (79%), and lowering salt intakes (85%) were high, but other concepts such as reducing dietary animal products (45%) and taking multivitamins (46%) were less known across education, gender and age categories. Women scored higher than men on heart disease knowledge (p=0.001), but awareness that women had unique heart disease risks was low for both genders (53%). Heart disease prevention programs should focus on dietary improvements in this age group of African Americans. Specific examples are knowledge of dietary cholesterol in the diet (e.g. animal products), and the atypical heart disease symptoms found in women, among others. Funding provided by St. Luke's Health Initiatives.