Brazilian Cooking Skills Questionnaire evaluation of using/cooking and consumption of fruits and vegetables.

OBJECTIVE: Young adults are often faced with barriers to cooking their own food. These barriers are associated with poor diet. The aim of this study was to explore the factor structure of the Brazilian Cooking Skills and Healthy Eating Questionnaire (BCSQ) to identify the barriers to cooking, use, and consumption of fruits and vegetables by young adults. METHODS: Data were collected from a baseline study with Brazilian university students (N = 767). Forty-eight items from the BCSQ (composed of the following scales: Cooking Attitude, Cooking Behavior, Produce Consumption Self-Efficacy, Cooking Self-Efficacy, Self-Efficacy in Using Cooking Techniques, and Self-Efficacy in Using Fruits, Vegetables, and Seasonings) were submitted to exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (ten fit indexes), and internal consistency reliability evaluation. Multilevel linear regression models were used to analyze variations on the BCSQ dimensions by sex, living arrangements, knowledge of how to cook, location of main meal, and time available for cooking. RESULTS: The 20-item BCSQ showed good fit indexes. The items based on negative cooking attitudes, frequency of using leftovers, and self-efficacy related to cooking from scratch, using and eating fruits and vegetables were adequate for the evaluation of cooking skills. These items represent and reflect the health dimensions applied to this research. The self-efficacy in using cooking techniques, which was not validated in previous study scale, was excluded due to its dimension. CONCLUSIONS: These results enabled us to shorten the BCSQ, which can be used to evaluate the barriers to cooking among young adults, as well as measuring their healthy eating practices, supporting future research and programs.

Positive impact of a cooking skills intervention among Brazilian university students: Six months follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen (NCK) Program to evaluate the improvement of cooking skills and healthy eating of university students. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial with six months follow-up was used incorporating an intervention group (IG) and a control group (CG). The IG participated in the NCK program over a six-week period, three hours weekly, based on five hands-on cooking classes and one food market visit, while CG continued their usual activities. Outcome measures included changes in relation to a) accessibility and availability of fruits and vegetables (AAFV); b) cooking attitudes (CA); c) cooking behaviors at home (CBH); d) cooking behaviors away from home (CBAH) e) produce consumption self-efficacy (SEPC); f) self-efficacy for using cooking techniques (SECT); g) self-efficacy for using fruits, vegetables, and seasonings (while cooking) (SEFVS); and h) knowledge of cooking terms and techniques (CTT). An online self-completed validated survey was answered, at three time points: baseline (T1), after intervention (T2) and six months after intervention (T3). Statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate changes in outcomes within and between groups over time. RESULTS: 76 students completed the online questionnaire at the 3 time points. Findings revealed a statistically significant increase (p < 0.05) in all outcomes evaluated in the IG, except for CBH and CBAH. This effect was sustained at T3 (p < 0.001). Results were similar to the adjusted model (p < 0.001), thus, indicating that IG changes, when compared to CG, were due to the intervention effect. CONCLUSION: NCK culinary intervention program demonstrated efficacy for the increased on AAFV, CA, SEPC, SECT, SEFVS and CTT with university students.

Community Health Advisors' Participation in a Dissemination and Implementation Study of an Evidence-Based Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Program in a Faith-Based Setting.

Community health advisors (CHAs) have been widely involved in health promotion, but few details on role expectations, retention, and evaluation have been reported. In a dissemination and implementation (D&I) study of an evidence-based healthy eating and physical activity program, 59 churches were randomized to an intervention (n = 39) or control (delayed intervention) (n = 20) condition. In a novel approach, CHAs worked with church committees rather than congregants by providing training (n = 59) and technical assistance (n = 54) to the committees to implement a program focused on structural and policy-level changes to support congregants' behavioral changes. CHA training comprised self-study via electronic training modules, in-person training, and telephone-based training. Evaluation methods were pilot test participants' and CHAs' ratings of their training; observers' ratings of CHAs' church training delivery; church committee members' ratings of the training experience, including CHAs' performance; and data from the TA database to assess CHAs' adherence to the protocol. The main challenge was the early dropout of one CHA and the reduced role of another. CHAs trained 142 intervention and 60 control church committee members in nine sessions; they covered 99% (intervention) and 90% (control) of training content, indicating high fidelity. Observers' scored CHAs' teaching and facilitation skills at 96.7% (intervention) and 80% (control) of the possible score. CHAs completed 92% of intervention and 93% of control TA calls. The great majority of church participants' comments regarding CHAs were positive. This study demonstrates that with training and support, CHAs demonstrate high levels of intervention fidelity, confidence, and competence.

Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen Program: a randomized controlled intervention to promote cooking skills and healthy eating in university students - study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Community-based intervention studies that aim at developing cooking skills have increased in the scientific literature and are related to healthier food practices. However, methodological limitations are observed and only a few studies have university students as the target. The university entrance period has been related to negative changes in eating habits among young people and it represents an important period for developing interventions for health promotion. This study describes the study protocol and the evaluation framework for the Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen program. This program aims to develop cooking skills in university students, and is based on the Cooking with a Chef program in the United States. METHODS: This ongoing, randomized controlled intervention was designed with a six month follow-up study. The intervention consisted of three-hour weekly classes during a six week period with printed materials provided. Five of the classes were hands-on cooking and one was a tour to a popular food market. There were eight primary outcome measures: changes in relation to i) accessibility and availability of fruits and vegetables; ii) cooking attitudes; iii) cooking behaviors at home; iv) cooking behaviors away from home; v) produce consumption self-efficacy; vi) self-efficacy for using basic cooking techniques; vii) self-efficacy for using fruits, vegetables, and seasonings (while cooking); and viii) knowledge of cooking terms and techniques. Secondary outcomes included changes in body mass index and in personal characteristics related to cooking. Repeated measures were collected through the application of an online self-completed survey, at baseline, after intervention and six months after intervention. A sample of 80 university students (40: intervention group; 40: control group) was estimated to detect a mean change of 1.5 points in cooking knowledge, with study power of 80%, and 95% level of confidence, plus 20% for random losses and 10% for confounding factors. The control group participants have continued with their usual activities. Data analyses will evaluate the intervention effect on changes in outcomes within and between groups, as well as explore relations with personal characteristics. DISCUSSION: This method provides new evidence about whether or not a culinary intervention targeting university students has an impact on the improvement of cooking skills and healthy eating practices. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry - RBR-8nwxh5 ( http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-8nwxh5/ ).

Predictors of change in fruit and vegetable consumption in a faith-based intervention with African American adults.

A majority of African American adults do not eat the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables. This study examined baseline demographic, health-related, and psychosocial variables as predictors of change in fruit and vegetable consumption from baseline to postprogram in a sample of church members taking part in a 15-month intervention. Participants who had a greater waist circumference, greater baseline fruit and vegetable consumption, greater leisure time physical activity, higher levels of social support, greater attendance at worship service, were obese, and did not have diabetes at baseline showed higher posttest fruit and vegetable consumption.

Cooks training for Faith, Activity, and Nutrition project with AME churches in SC.

PURPOSE: This study describes the development and evaluation of a participatory training for cooks in African American churches. The 8-h training focused on providing healthy meals within the church food program. It enlisted cooks in hands-on "cooking with the chef" training and menu building exercises, and demonstrated development of flavor in foods through healthy ingredients. Cook ratings from pre- to post-training (possible range: 1-10) were evaluated with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: 114 cooks from 57 churches over the period from 7/21/07 to 3/21/11 participated in trainings. Self-rated cooking skill increased from pre- (6.5±SD) to post-training (7.9±SD), p=0.0001. Self-rated confidence in preparing meals also increased significantly (pre: 7.3±SD; post: 8.3±SD), p=0001. Qualitative feedback from the cooks' training has been positive. Two of the more frequently stated changes cooks report are using less salt and using more vegetables and fruits in menus. Lessons learned include: choosing the right church to host the training, teamwork as a key component, need for support system for church cooks, allocation of time for planning as well as shopping for healthy ingredients, and incorporation of flexibility into the training plan.

Development of psychosocial scales for evaluating the impact of a culinary nutrition education program on cooking and healthful eating.

OBJECTIVE: Develop scales to assess the impact of the Cooking with a Chef program on several psychosocial constructs. METHODS: Cross-sectional design in which parents and caregivers were recruited from child care settings (Head Start, faith-based, public elementary schools), and cooks were recruited from church and school kitchens. Analysis involved descriptive statistics, correlations, and exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS: Test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from r = 0.63 to r = 0.88. Exploratory factor analysis indicated a simple structure for 3 scales: Cooking Techniques Self-Efficacy, Negative Cooking Attitude, and Self-Efficacy Fruit and Vegetables and accounted for 85.0% of the total variance. Mean responses to each scale were not statistically different between parents and cooks. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Evidence of face validity and construct validity were provided through expert review, factor analysis, and scale correlations. Analyses presented constitute the first step in developing psychosocial scales for evaluating the Cooking with a Chef program and provide preliminary evidence that these scales work well with diverse groups.

Perceived environmental church support is associated with dietary practices among African-American adults.

A unique strength of the African-American community is the importance of church and faith. Interventions promoting health might want to build on these strengths by developing faith-based interventions that encourage churches to create an environment that supports behavior change. The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between perceived environmental church support for healthy eating and intake of fruit and vegetables and fat- and fiber-related behaviors, and to examine whether these relationships differ by sex. The design was a cross-sectional study in which participants completed self-report dietary and perceived church support measures before initiation of an intervention. Relationships between fruit and vegetable consumption, fat- and fiber-related behaviors, and perceived church support (eg, total, written informational, spoken informational, instrumental [fruit and vegetable consumption only]), along with Support×Sex interactions were examined. Participants were 1,136 African-American church members from four geographically defined districts in South Carolina. Statistical analyses included regression models controlling for sex, age, years of education, health rating, and body mass index using SAS PROC MIXED. A separate model was conducted for each measure of perceived church support and each type of healthy eating index. Perceived total church support and perceived written and spoken informational church support were associated with considerably higher fruit and vegetable intake and more favorable fiber-related behaviors, whereas only perceived total and perceived written informational support were associated with more low-fat dietary behaviors. Perceived instrumental church support was not associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. No sex differences were found. The social and physical church environment can be an important factor influencing the dietary habits of its members. Future faith-based interventions should further explore the role of the church environment in improving the dietary practices of its members.

Chefs' opinions about reducing the calorie content of menu items in restaurants.

Modifying the energy content of foods, particularly foods eaten away from home, is important in addressing the obesity epidemic. Chefs in the restaurant industry are uniquely placed to influence the provision of reduced-calorie foods, but little is known about their opinions on this issue. A survey was conducted among chefs attending US culinary meetings about strategies for creating reduced-calorie foods and opportunities for introducing such items on restaurant menus. The 432 respondents were from a wide variety of employment positions and the majority had been in the restaurant industry for ≥ 20 years. Nearly all chefs (93%) thought that the calories in menu items could be reduced by 10-25% without customers noticing. To decrease the calories in two specific foods, respondents were more likely to select strategies for reducing energy density than for reducing portion size (P < 0.004). Low consumer demand was identified as the greatest barrier to including reduced-calorie items on the menu by 38% of chefs, followed by the need for staff skills and training (24%), and high ingredient cost (18%). The majority of respondents (71%) ranked taste as the most influential factor in the success of reduced-calorie items (P < 0.0001). The results of this survey indicate that opportunities exist for reducing the energy content of restaurant items. Ongoing collaboration is needed between chefs and public health professionals to ensure that appealing reduced-calorie menu items are more widely available in restaurants and that research is directed toward effective ways to develop and promote these items.