The purpose of this study was to describe the scope of fatty food preferences of urban African American women and to examine factors associated with the selection of high fat foods. A volunteer sample of urban African American women church-goers were invited for dietary and risk factor screening at health fairs held following Sunday services. A standardized instrument, the Fat Intake Scale (FIS), was administered primarily by dietitians to estimate dietary fat intake and usual food choices. A sum score of 25 or more is thought to be associated with higher fat and cholesterol intake. As a validation of the FIS, a 24-hour recall was administered to a subsample. Sociodemographics, smoking status and comorbidity were assessed by self-report. Body weight, height, and total blood serum cholesterol were assessed using standardized measurement techniques. In the 521 participating women, 61% were classified as obese based on national reference norms for body mass index (BMI). More than 81% had an FIS of 25 or greater. On multiple logistic regression analysis, significant predictors of a higher fat diet (FIS > or = 25) included age greater than 45 years, obesity, and the absence of comorbidity. These findings suggest that there are independent predictors of selection of a diet high in fat. This has implications for planning and targeting community-based nutrition interventions for African American women who exhibit among the highest rates of obesity in the U.S. and who suffer an excess burden of obesity-related diseases.