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Abstract<br />INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is increasing in<br />industrialized communities. Dyslipidemia is a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor which<br />is related to diet, especially consumption of hard margarine and hydrogenated fat.<br />The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors differs in communities.<br />We studied the prevalence of consumption of different types of oil and fat in areas of<br />Central Iran.<br />METHODS: The subjects were selected using randomized cluster sampling and divided<br />into rural and urban groups. A 48-item standard food frequency questionnaire was filled<br />out for every subject by a trained interviewer, who also obtained demographic data. Data<br />were analyzed with SPSS. Different educational groups and the two sexes in urban and<br />rural areas were compared using chi square test and paired t-test. P values below 0.05<br />were considered as significant.<br />RESULTS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on 12600 adult<br />subjects aged above 19 years in the cities of Isfahan, Najafabad, and Arak. Consumption<br />of olive oil and other types of oil in the urban community of Isfahan was higher than in<br />the rural community. Consumption of animal oil and fat was higher in the rural<br />community of Isfahan. In subjects with high school education and higher, consumption<br />of different types of oil was not found to be different between urban and rural<br />communities, or between men and women. In Arak, no difference was found between<br />rural and urban subjects with high school education and higher, in respect of<br />consumption of different types of oil. Among subjects with lower education, however,<br />consumption of olive oil and other types of oil was higher in urban areas and<br />consumption of animal oil and fat was higher in rural men. In Najafabad, no difference<br />was found between different educational groups in respect of the different types of oil<br />consumed; only consumption of animal oil in rural subjects educated below high school<br />diploma was higher than in cities.<br />CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals with high school education and higher, no<br />difference was found between rural and urban populations in respect of the types of oil<br />consumed. However, among individuals with low education, consumption of animal oil<br />and fat as well as hard margarine was higher in the rural population, while the urban<br />population consumed higher amounts of oil and olive oil. The pattern of oil and fat<br />consumption in men and women was different in the cities of Najafabad and Arak, but<br />almost similar in Isfahan. Geographical location and education affect the pattern of oil<br />and fat consumption. Unhealthy lifestyle habits are more prevalent in members of the<br />rural population with low education.<br />Key Words: Fat, oil, urban population, rural population, education.