Objectives. This paper describes the Northwest Lipid Research Clinic Fat Intake Scale, a brief dietary questionnaire to screen and monitor dietary intake related to plasma cholesterol levels. Methods. The 12-item instrument assesses intake of foods high in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Test-retest reliability was assessed on 194 men and 116 women with high cholesterol prior to a dietary intervention study. To measure validity and responsiveness to dietary change, scores were compared with 4-day food records before and after diet education classes. Results. Test-retest correlation coefficients were .88 for men and .90 for women (2 weeks between scores). Scores for men and women were correlated with nutrients shown by food records at baseline (.47 and .54, total fat; .50 and .51, saturated fat) and 18 months postintervention (.52 and .58, total fat; .56 and .64, saturated fat; all Ps < .001). Mean scores decreased from about 30 to 23 (P < .001, paired t test). Conclusions. The Fat Intake Scale, a qualitative instrument, has acceptable reliability and validity for estimating the level of cholesterol-related diet components and reflects dietary modification. The format of the instrument also lends itself to patient education and goal setting.
