[Fat and oil consumption in a university student population in Buenos Aires]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fat and oil intake and their distribution according to the dietary origin in students of the University of Buenos Aires. A 7 day dietary record of students (49 males and 127 females) attendant to the 1989 Course of Nutrition, School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, to obtain in Pharmacy and Biochemistry was collected. This information was processed in a PC Computer (VAN Program, Lujan University, Argentina) to obtain the energy and fat daily intake, according to the Dietary Composition Tables compiled by INCAP; missing data were completed t with the German, Italian or Argentine Tables. The results obtained were (average daily intake +/- SD) for females and males, respectively: Energy (Kcal): 1805 +/- 5431 and 2551 +/- 712; total fat (g): 65.6 +/- 21.8 and 87.8 +/- 28.7; percentage of energy provided by fat: 33.0 and 31.1. The distribution of fat intake according to its dietary source was (g/100 g): meat: 33.3; oils: 15.5; diary products: 19.3; cakes and pasta: 11.6; cereals (bread, crackers, etc.): 8.3; separate animal fat: 5.1; legumes and oil seeds: 1.4; eggs: 2.9; poultry: 1.5; margarines: 0.6; fish: 0.3; viscera: 0.3. These data show that the fat intake is not excessive, about 30% of the energy intake; but the high percentage of animal fat might be one of the risk factors responsible for the high incidence of cardiovascular diseases in the population of Buenos Aires.