Youth Chef Academy: Pilot Results From a Plant‐Based Culinary and Nutrition Literacy Program for Sixth and Seventh Graders

Abstract

BACKGROUND National data confirm that youth are not eating recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables (F/V), legumes, and whole grains (WGs). Establishing plant-based eating patterns early in life may positively impact long-term health through tracking of adolescent eating patterns into adulthood and through potential associations between adolescent dietary intake and adult disease risk. The study aim was to examine the effectiveness of Youth Chef Academy (YCA), a classroom-based experiential culinary and nutrition literacy intervention for sixth and seventh graders (11- to 13-year-olds) designed to impact healthy eating. METHODS Study used a nonequivalent control group design with 8 schools selected for similarity in: free/reduced-price lunch, race/ethnicity, and student mobility rate (N = 248). Primary outcomes were times per day of F/V, vegetable, and WG consumption. Students completed a survey to assess primary outcomes and other measures at baseline and post-intervention. RESULTS Significant increases in times per day of F/V (p =.022) and vegetable only (p =.015) consumption in the intervention group compared to the control group. Increases in WG consumption showed trended toward significance (p=.071). Student engagement and nutrition knowledge showed significant intervention effects. CONCLUSIONS YCA positively impacts behavioral and knowledge variables related to healthy eating and increases students’ engagement in their classrooms.

Nutrition Literacy of Middle School Students and Its Influencing Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Chongqing, China

“…It is worth noting that guardian is a significant factor influencing children's NL, and children with parental guardians have higher NL than children who are cared for by one parent or others ( 23 ). Furthermore, media literacy ( 22 ) and nutrition education ( 24 ) play a significant role in enhancing NL level.…”

Create Our Own Kai: A Randomised Control Trial of a Cooking Intervention with Group Interview Insights into Adolescent Cooking Behaviours

“…Many existing studies with adolescents (11-19 years [12]) have had small sample sizes with limited statistical power to detect changes, often being at feasibility or pilot stages [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. Most studies in this age group have had prospective cohort designs [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26], with experimental designs tending to be quasi-experimental [27][28][29][30] rather than randomised [31,32]. Few studies have looked beyond immediately post-intervention to assess longer-term effectiveness, with those that did having follow-ups of no more than six months [19,25,27,28,31].…”

What Is the Impact of Nutrition Literacy Interventions on Children’s Food Habits and Nutrition Security? A Scoping Review of the Literature

“…A total of six articles are included in this scoping review [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. The total number of participants included in the studies was 4016 and the median study size was equal to 224 participants.…”

“…Four studies [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ] used a controlled trial design to compare outcomes of the intervention group to those of the control group. Two [ 14 , 16 ] of the six studies were pilot versions of food and nutrition education programs, and in one of these [ 14 ] incentives were provided to encourage participation, in the form of a fitness tracker, weekly take-home bags packed with a food item, and a $5 gift card for each session attended.…”