Reducing Dietary Fat-With Humor

Many consumers want to learn practical ways of reducing fat and cholesterol in the diet. "Lower Your Cholesterol" is a Rutgers Cooperative Extension program designed to help adults understand the risks related to heart disease from consuming a diet high in fat and cholesterol.

The packaged program includes 30 transparency masters featuring Mr. Oilbee, a cartoon character created from a drop of oil. Extension home economists use the transparencies in teaching the difference between saturated, mono, and polyunsaturated fats. The cartoon character becomes a teacher with the home economist to simplify complicated, scientific information so participants are motivated to make positive behavior changes. Mr. Oilbee holds the learners' attention to dispels the fear and tension associated with serious, health-related information. Research on cartoons shows they help increase the appreciation of subject matter and heighten interest in the information presented.1 "Lower Your Cholesterol" is taught in simple, easy-to-understand steps without being childish.

Program content includes a close look at fats: saturated vs unsaturated, hydrogenation, and digestion/transport in the body. The significance of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) are covered. Label reading on dairy products, cold cuts, pro-cessed foods, frozen desserts, salad dressings, margarine, oils, and butter are reviewed for comparison with low-fat alternatives. Participants examine their own fat intake on the pre- and post-test questionnaires.

Between 1989-1990, 1,239 people participated in the two-hour session. In addition to the transparency masters, the program kit includes sample press releases, pre-test and post-test materials, reading lists, and a fact sheet about cholesterol. Cholesterol blood tests (finger-prick type) offered by local hospitals are often scheduled before the program as a marketing incentive and service to those who haven't recently had a cholesterol test.

Audiences have included Extension clientele, corpor-ate "lunch-and-learn" groups, hospital staff, and a home economics professional group. The program has been evaluated as "excellent" by laypeople and professionals.

In a survey conducted after six months, 80% of participants reported positive changes in each of six categories of food intake and improved dietary practices, such as planning low-fat menus. Twenty-nine percent reduced their blood cholesterol below 240mg/dl.

"Lower Your Cholesterol" helps the consumer understand the nature and digestion of fats/cholesterol in the diet. The Mr. Oilbee character emphasizes an increase in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables accompanied by a decrease in total dietary fat. Examples of teaspoons of fat in foods helped participants visualize adding fat in the daily diet. The program makes learning fun by adding some humor to a serious subject. Humor revitalizes the attention span, increases subject-matter retention, promotes comprehension, reduces anxiety, and enhances the effectiveness of Extension teaching.

1. Robyn Flipse, Learning Through Laughter (Chicago: The American Dietetic Association, Nutrition Education for the Public Practice Group, 1990), pp. 2-5.