Discrepancy in nutrition knowledge of hyperlipidemic risk and lipid levels among health check-up population in Taiwan

Abstract

Objectives: A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the association between nutrition knowledge and hyperlipidemia. Methods: A total of 1787 Taiwanese adults completed hyperlipidemic knowledge questionnaires during their health check-ups in a tertiary hospital from April 1998 to September 1998. Knowledge-based 4 sets were defined and the exploratory factor analysis results were used to confirm the grouping. Set 1 was defined as high cholesterol or high saturated fat foods; Set 2 as high fat or low saturated fat foods; Set 3 as high fiber foods and Set 4 as high energy or high carbohydrate foods. Results: Women had lower educational levels but better knowledge scores than men. Years of education had a positive correlation with nutrition knowledge scores, except for the set of high energy foods. This implied that even people with high educational levels had incomplete knowledge concerning high energy foods. Income was associated positively with high cholesterol and high fat food knowledge. Total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels were not significantly associated with knowledge of hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, triglyceride levels were positively associated with scores from high energy foods. Body mass index was significantly positively associated with high energy food knowledge scores. After adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, income and education years, no lipid levels could be predicted by any knowledge scores of hyperlipidemia. Conclusions: The discrepancy between nutritional knowledge of hyperlipidemia and lipid profiles should be taken into consideration when planning for behavior intervention for hyperlipidemia during the health check-ups of the population of Taiwan.