OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the comprehension of the scoring system for controlling the serum levels of cholesterol and fat as an instrument of dietary intervention for hypercholesterolemic patients. METHODS: The study comprised 153 individuals of both sexes, with ages ranging from 20 to 65 years, who sought medical care in a hospital or in a basic health unit. They were divided into the following 3 groups: hypercholesterolemic individuals, individuals with no diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia, and health care professionals. A 24-hour recall was used with each individual, who applied the cholesterol/saturated-fat index to their diets, consulting the scoring system. The researcher confirmed the calculation of each participant, considering her calculation as the a reference pattern. Understanding of the system was assessed through comparison between the reference pattern and the data obtained by the interviewees, using the intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The patients without a diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia obtained a high correlation in all meals. The morning and afternoon snacks and supper were the meals with the greatest correlation (r=1). In hypercholesterolemic individuals, supper was the meal with the greatest concordance with the reference score (r=1), and the health care professionals obtained a correlation coefficient of 1 in all meals, except lunch (r=0.99). CONCLUSION: The scoring system was fast, simple, and easy to be understood and accepted by the population studied.
cholesterol; lipids; score system
