How a 7-Week Food Literacy Cooking Program Affects Cooking Confidence and Mental Health: Findings of a Quasi-Experimental Controlled Intervention Trial

Abstract

Obesity and mental health disorders are rising simultaneously with shifting dietary behavior away from home cooking, toward typically nutrition-poor and energy-dense convenience meals. Food literacy strongly influences nutrition choices. Community-based cooking interventions target barriers to healthy eating and facilitate development of food literacy skills, thereby potentially increasing preparation of home-cooked meals and positively influencing health. This study of 657 healthy Australian adults explored the efficacy of a 7-week cooking program in improving cooking confidence, whether this transferred to behavior surrounding food, and/or affected mental health. Significant post-program improvements in cooking confidence and satisfaction (all p < 0.001, ηp2 1.12 large), ability to change eating habits (p < 0.001) and overcome lifestyle barriers (p = 0.005) were observed for the intervention group but not control. Participation also improved mental and general health (all p < 0.05, ηp2 0.02 small). No changes were observed for acquisition and consumption of food, or nutrition knowledge in either group. This 7-week cooking program built cooking confidence and improved general and mental health but did not change dietary behavior. To further improve nutrition related behaviors associated with better mental health, more effort is needed to recruit those with below-average nutrition knowledge and interest in cooking.

Food Literacy and Dietary Intake in German Office Workers: A Longitudinal Intervention Study

“…These findings align with previous literature showing that nutrition education and cooking programs can improve nutrition-related skills and knowledge in various populations [ 33 , 34 , 35 ]. While previous research focusing explicitly on FL has been promising regarding the effectiveness of interventions on FL in diverse adult populations [ 27 , 38 , 39 ], our findings strengthen the evidence by focusing on OWs as a population with an increased risk of chronic disease [ 8 ]. Establishing FL as a variable that can be improved through health promotion interventions is vital because research on the closely related and more extensively studied concept of health literacy states that health literacy can be viewed as an asset that empowers individuals to exert greater control over their health [ 65 ].…”

“…Moreover, a four-week online FL program targeting Australian adults improved FL and increased fruit and vegetable consumption [ 38 ]. However, a study by Rees et al [ 39 ] on participants of a seven-week cooking program showed increased cooking confidence, but yielded no improvements in nutrition knowledge or healthy eating.…”

Recipes for Health: A Community-Based Nutrition and Culinary Intervention

“…Reicks et al conducted a systematic review of 28 research studies and found that cooking interventions led to positive changes in health status and improved intake of fiber, fat, and sodium, which have all been associated with the onset of chronic disease [ 9 ]. Adhering to a diet that follows the dietary guidelines is pivotal to decreasing overweight and obesity rates, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer [ 10 ]. The benefits of cooking at home go beyond the improvement of health status.…”

Food Literacy and Dietary Intake in German Office Workers: A Longitudinal Intervention Study

“…Moreover, a fourweek online FL program targeting Australian adults improved FL and increased fruit and vegetable consumption [37]. However, a study by Rees et al [38] on participants of a sevenweek cooking program showed increased cooking confidence but yielded no improvements in nutrition knowledge or healthy eating.…”

“…Considering these extensive sociocultural nutrition-36 related threats to the health of individuals and societies, enabling people to make healthier 37 food choices to prevent chronic disease is a key challenge in the modern world [1,6]. 38 A large part of the population for which specific nutrition-related health threats have 39 been investigated are office workers, who represent about 37% of all employees in commitment, lack of time, and cost of food [9][10][11][12]. Together, these barriers shape a challenging environment for maintaining a healthy diet in the workplace.…”