Search Results (35)

Background: Plant-based diets are associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases and improved health outcomes. However, sustaining dietary changes remains challenging. Digital interventions—including virtual culinary medicine programs, web-based nutrition coaching, SMS and email reminders, mobile application–based self-management, and hybrid community programs—offer promising strategies to support behavior change, enhance cooking skills, and improve dietary adherence. These approaches are relevant for both healthy individuals and those living with chronic conditions. Methods: We conducted a narrative review of studies published between 2000 and 2025 in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science, supplemented with manual searches. Included studies comprised randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental designs, feasibility studies, and qualitative research. Interventions were categorized by modality (SMS, email, web platforms, mobile apps, virtual culinary programs, and hybrid formats) and population (healthy adults, patients with chronic diseases). Outcomes examined included dietary quality, self-efficacy, psychosocial well-being, and program engagement. Results: Most studies reported improvements in dietary quality, cooking skills, nutrition knowledge, and psychosocial outcomes. Virtual cooking programs enhanced dietary adherence and engagement, particularly among individuals at cardiovascular risk. Digital nutrition education supported behavior change in chronic disease populations, including patients with multiple sclerosis. SMS and email reminders improved self-monitoring and participation rates, while mobile applications facilitated real-time feedback and goal tracking. Hybrid programs combining online and in-person components increased motivation, social support, and long-term adherence. Reported barriers included limited technological access or skills, lack of personalization, and privacy concerns. Conclusions: Virtual culinary medicine programs and other digital microinterventions—including SMS, email, web, mobile, and hybrid formats—are effective tools to promote plant-based diets. Future interventions should focus on personalized, accessible, and hybrid strategies, with attention to underserved populations, to maximize engagement and sustain long-term dietary change. Full article

This cross-sectional study examines adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) lifestyle and its association with knowledge, attitudes, habits, and cooking self-efficacy related to healthy and sustainable diets among Spanish adults. Additionally, it explores how sociodemographic and behavioral variables influence adherence to the MD. An online survey was conducted with 380 participants, predominantly women, urban dwellers, and highly educated individuals. The results reveal limited knowledge about food sustainability, with only 58.1% recognizing the MD as a sustainable model. Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that higher adherence to the MD lifestyle was significantly associated with older age. Younger individuals who cooked regularly reported higher cooking self-efficacy, which in turn was associated with living with children and with healthier and more sustainable dietary habits. These dietary habits were also linked to being female, highlighting the interconnected roles of gender, age, and domestic context in shaping attitudes toward healthy and sustainable eating. The findings highlight a strong interrelation among attitudes, habits, and cooking self-efficacy, which together influence MD adherence. These results underscore the importance of designing targeted public health interventions that enhance cooking self-efficacy as a key lever to promote healthier and more sustainable eating habits, particularly among men and individuals who cook infrequently. Full article

Background/Objectives: The transition to university life brings significant social, psychological, and environmental changes, making it a critical period for establishing long-term dietary habits. However, many Mexican university students fail to meet national dietary guidelines, increasing their risk of non-communicable diseases. This study examines the determinants of healthy eating among university students in Oaxaca using a holistic, multi-level approach grounded in the Social Ecological Model (SEM) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating ethnography with a validated self-report questionnaire completed by 411 students at the Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca (UABJO). The ethnographic data included observations, field notes, photographs, informal conversations, and 13 semi-structured interviews. Data triangulation provided a comprehensive understanding of dietary behaviors by capturing both self-reported patterns and real-world eating practices and the food environment, as captured through ethnographic methods. The analysis included descriptive statistics, normality tests, and parametric tests to assess significant differences. Results: The findings revealed a decline in diet quality, characterized by low fruit and vegetable intake, high snack consumption, and irregular meal patterns, particularly among students living independently. Key barriers included academic stress, time constraints, low cooking self-efficacy, limited nutritional knowledge, peer pressure, and negative social norms, which contributed to reliance on convenient, processed foods. The lack of healthy food options on campus and the high perceived cost of nutritious food further led students to prioritize cheap, calorie-dense foods over healthier choices. Conversely, enablers included structured university schedules; peer support; hands-on culinary interventions; and improved access to affordable, healthy food. Conclusions: Addressing these barriers requires multi-level interventions that enhance nutrition literacy, cooking self-efficacy, and peer-led strategies while improving the campus food environment. Future research should explore SCT-based initiatives leveraging social networks and culinary education to foster sustainable dietary behavior change in university settings and assess how these findings can be applied in other socioeconomic and cultural contexts. Full article

Introduction: WELLfed is a community-based adult education programme focused on improving food literacy, with a stated aim to “nourish communities through food and connections”, in a low-income community in Aotearoa New Zealand. Adult learners are taught food preparation and cooking skills in weekly interactive sessions. Here, we describe two pilot phases of a three-phase evaluation. Methods: Our overall aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of the WELLfed programme. Phase 1, in keeping with the co-design approach of WELLfed, co-designed outcome measures through five focus groups (n = 20) involving a wide range of stakeholders. Phase 2 developed and refined a survey based on these co-designed measures. The survey was administered to WELLfed learners at baseline (n = 15) and again towards the end of their programme (follow-up n = 12). Wilcoxon rank sum tests of significance were performed, restricted to participants with both baseline and follow-up data. Results: Five domains of importance identified in Phase 1 were as follows: (i) engagement support, (ii) food knowledge and skills, (iii) personal development, (iv) relationship transformation, and (v) community flourishing. Phase 2 findings include increased comfort level at engagement (p = 0.063). Food knowledge and preparation skills improved on a range of factors. All metrics of self-confidence and self-efficacy increased, with the greatest change being the ability to find support in times of crisis. Self-reported excellent or very good health increased (p = 0.050). Fewer people reported food running out due to a lack of money (p = 0.016) or eating less because of a lack of money (p = 0.008). Conclusions: The pilot study shows the effectiveness of the WELLfed programme for improving food knowledge and skills, reducing food insecurity, and improving health outcomes. Further research with a larger sample size is required to confirm these pilot results. Full article

Background: Culinary medicine (CM) interventions in teaching kitchens have emerged as novel approaches for influencing dietary behaviors, but their efficacy, content, and delivery vary. Objective: The effects of a virtual vegan CM intervention on behavioral determinants, cooking competencies, diet quality, and skin carotenoid status were assessed. Methods: This analysis from a 9-week randomized crossover study evaluated behavioral survey assessments, Whole Plant Food Density (WPFD) as a diet quality indicator utilizing Automated Self-Administered 24 h Dietary Recall data, and skin carotenoid status (SCS) via pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy at multiple timepoints. Adults at ≥5% atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk followed a vegan diet pattern that was high or low in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for 4 weeks each with weekly virtual cooking classes, separated by a 1-week washout period. Qualitative feedback was collected for thematic analysis. Results: In 40 participants (75% female; body mass index, 32 ± 7 kg/m²; age, 64 ± 9 years mean ± SD), perceived control over trajectory of heart disease, knowledge of lifestyle behaviors for heart health, and confidence in cooking skills and preparing a variety of plant-based foods improved post intervention (all p ≤ 0.001). WPFD increased by 69–118% from baseline. Greater SCS changes occurred after high-EVOO (+51.4 ± 13.9 mean ± SEM, p < 0.001) compared to low-EVOO (+6.0 ± 16.4, p = 0.718) diets. Conclusions: A virtual vegan CM intervention improved dietary behaviors and quality, which was associated with reductions in CVD risk factors. SCS is influenced by EVOO intake, warranting consideration when used to estimate fruit and vegetable intake. The potential impacts of CM on behaviors and health outcomes warrant continued research efforts in medical and public health settings. Full article

Background/Objective: Students’ taste preferences, cooking skills, and cultural backgrounds impact their use of food access resources on campus. Meal kits include pre-sorted ingredients, which could address food waste and help to prepare meals with unfamiliar ingredients. The objective of this exploratory pilot study was to develop and investigate the impact of culturally relevant meal kits on cooking skills, food waste, and food security tailored to UC Davis students. Methods: Meal kits included ingredients found at the campus food pantry. Three culturally relevant recipes were selected: High-Protein Avocado Toast, Mexican-Inspired Quinoa Bowl, and a Korean Vegetable Stir-Fry. Students were randomly assigned to the intervention meal kit group (n = 50), while the comparison recipe card group received a digital recipe card (n = 25). Data were collected through pre- and post-surveys administered online, in addition to open-ended, qualitative feedback through surveys after each meal kit or recipe card. Results: Thirty-two participants in the meal kit group and four participants in the recipe card group completed all study measures. Both groups experienced an increase in being classified as high food security over the three-week intervention period (+13% in the intervention group and +75% in the comparison group). Further, the intervention group improved cooking self-efficacy (+1.2 points; p < 0.01) and food waste practices. Participants appreciated the meal kits’ ease of preparation, clear instructions, and minimal cooking steps. Conclusions: The preliminary findings of this exploratory pilot study highlight the potential importance of culturally relevant interventions to address food security and promote healthier eating habits among college students. However, more research is needed with a larger, more diverse sample over a longer duration. Full article

Background/objectives: Assessing perinatal diet and its determinants in Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women remains challenging, given the paucity of tools that incorporate Aboriginal ways of knowing, being, and remembering within a quantitative framework. This study aimed to explore the determinants of perinatal nutrition in this population and to evaluate the efficacy of the Nutrition Education and Screening Tool (NEST) in collecting diet-related data in this population. Methods: This study employed a Participatory Action Research approach using the NEST as a foundation for structured research inquiry. Self-reported diet and determinants were collected from a cross-sectional cohort of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from Far North Queensland. Results: Participants (n = 30) declared excess consumption of meat and alternatives, fruit, vegetables and legumes, and dairy and alternatives. Grain and cereal consumption aligned with recommendations; wild-harvested foods comprised a mean 19.75% of their protein intake. Food frequency data were supported by participants’ descriptions of how they eat, combine, rotate, and cook these foods. Conclusions: Standard food frequency questionnaires are challenging for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as their concepts of time and ways of remembering are different from Western understanding. Use of the NEST allowed food frequency items to be explored, clarified, and cross-referenced; yarning provided a degree of support for quantitative data. The results of this study translate to future public health research, practice, and policy. Alternative quantitative measures to determine food frequency should be considered in future studies. These may include the cyclical approach to time that is well understood and integrated by Indigenous cultures. Full article

College students may have limited access to produce and may lack confidence in preparing it, but cooking videos can show how to make healthy dishes. The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning suggests that learning is enhanced when visual and auditory information is presented considering cognitive load (e.g., highlighting important concepts, eliminating extraneous information, and keeping the video brief and conversational). The purpose of this project was to pilot test a food label for produce grown at an urban university and assess whether student confidence in preparing produce improved after using the label and QR code to view a recipe video developed using principles from the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. The video showed a student preparing a salad with ingredients available on campus. Students indicated the label was helpful and reported greater perceived confidence in preparing lettuce after viewing the label and video (mean confidence of 5.60 ± 1.40 before vs. 6.14 ± 0.89 after, p = 0.016, n = 28). Keeping the video short and providing ingredients and amounts onscreen as text were cited as helpful. Thus, a brief cooking video and interactive label may improve confidence in preparing produce available on campus. Future work should determine whether the label impacts produce consumption and if it varies depending on the type of produce used. Full article

Visual impairment (V.I.) has been associated with a negative impact on activities of daily living (ADL) and navigation outside the home. Adults from minority ethnic communities are projected to make up an increasing proportion of the V.I. population in the UK, yet the evidence relating to their experiences of living with V.I. is limited. This article uses data collected by the V.I. Lives Survey, between December 2019 and November 2020. Using secondary analysis of anonymised survey data, this article explores self-reported functioning relating to ADL, navigation outside of the home, and use of technology to access information in a matched control sample of adults from minority ethnic (MEC) and white communities (WC). The findings showed that most issues relating to self-efficacy, accessibility of public environments, and technology were significantly more important to MEC than WC participants. A significantly higher proportion of MEC participants required frequent help with cooking, received support for ADL from siblings and other family members, and had their shopping delivered. WC participants were significantly more likely to receive help with shopping from their spouse/partner and use public transport as much as they liked. Future research will need to confirm these findings in a larger sample and explore the reasons for them. Full article

College students may face barriers to eating healthy foods. Educational interventions providing practical knowledge and skills may help students to overcome financial barriers or other barriers to acquiring, preparing, and consuming healthy foods. We evaluated the association between participation in a semester-long food skills course with an interactive teaching kitchen and dietary and cooking self-efficacy and behaviors. Participants were recruited from course enrollees (intervention) and the general student population (comparison). We assessed differences in pre–post changes in the outcomes between groups using the propensity score weighting and mixed effects linear or Poisson regression. Course participation was associated with improved self-efficacy around cooking (group × time β-coefficient [SE]: 3.25 [0.57], p < 0.0001) and fruit (6.33 [1.19], p < 0.0001), vegetable (5.43 [1.42], p = 0.0002), and whole grain (5.83 [1.40], p < 0.0001) consumption. Course participants reported smaller pre–post decreases in vegetable consumption compared to non-participants (0.35 [0.16], p = 0.03), increased cooking frequency (0.22 [0.10], p = 0.03) and a decreased frequency of skipping meals (−0.47 [0.16], p = 0.003). There were no changes associated with the intervention in the consumption of fruit or whole grains, or in eating out frequency. Participation in a semester-long, personal food skills course with a teaching kitchen may improve self-efficacy, cooking, and vegetable consumption among college students. Full article

Mindfulness is regarded as a systematic process of shaping the innate quality of the mind primarily practised through meditation. As a result, this paper aims to uncover the nature and spirit of mindfulness practice, which should go beyond clinical intervention or disciplined practices, to explore how self-care techniques like food preparation, knitting, and mindfulness exercises can be incorporated into home economics education. The current review found 12 research papers with statements about cooking and 6 on crafting/knitting. Beyond mindfulness eating, the retrieved papers in the current review have captured a few studies that put forward the elements of mindfulness in cooking. Nonetheless, most papers did not treat cooking as a mindfulness practice, but rather as a self-care practice that resulted in similar psychological factors such as awareness, behavioural changes, and self-efficacy. Moreover, the studies and documentation of crafts in home economics education, such as knitting, sewing, and needlepoint, have been described as mindfulness-based activities. Additionally, it acts as a type of self-care by calming down, alleviating tension, and encouraging relaxation. Therefore, home economics classes should be promoted in schools, and self-care and mindfulness exercises should be added to the curriculum. Full article

Although children from limited-resource families in rural areas are at great risk for nutrition-related chronic diseases, few hands-on programs have been implemented that simultaneously engage both parents and children and include local produce in a single program. This study reports on the development, implementation, and evaluation of Cooking with the Seasons for Health (CwS4H). Parent–child pairs participated in six sessions (two weekly sessions during each of three growing seasons), which included food tasting, a spotlight vegetable, interactive mini nutrition lesson, a child-focused cooking lesson, hands-on meal preparation, distribution of materials as family guides, and a take-home bag of fresh produce. Pre- and postprogram survey data were collected from 23 parents and 22 children. Children reported improvements in nutrition knowledge, vegetable preference, and self-efficacy in food preparation and cooking. Parents reported gains in nutrition knowledge, nutritional behaviors, vegetable preference, attitude toward food preparation/cooking, involvement of the child in food preparation/cooking, confidence in preparing vegetables, and the child’s vegetable intake. Parents commented on the value children placed on food preparation and produce selection and how the program enhanced the parent–child relationship. By focusing CwS4H on a variety of fresh vegetables, this intervention helped to impact children’s vegetable intake behaviors by engaging children in preparing and choosing the food they eat. Full article

Participant engagement, psychosocial factors, and dietary behaviors are important components of “Food as Medicine” and cooking education programs. The purpose of this study is to describe a multidisciplinary cooking program at a Federally Qualified Health Center in central Texas. During biannual harvest seasons (2022–2023), patients participated in four or six weekly 1.5 h hands-on cooking classes with shared meals, education, and produce delivery. Pretest–posttest surveys assessed sociodemographic information, health, psychosocial factors, and dietary behaviors; follow-up assessed group cohesion/sense of community in classes. Survey data were described using means and proportions. Across four cohorts, participants (n = 33; mean age: 45 ± 16 years) were 30% Hispanic/Latino, 18% non-Hispanic Black, and 52% non-Hispanic White; on average, participants attended 66% of sessions. Increases in cooking self-efficacy (p < 0.001) and diet-related self-management strategies (p < 0.001) were observed for those with follow-up data (n = 16); further, 44% reported increased vegetable consumption. All participants (100%) reported feeling like a valued member of their cooking group and 94% reported high levels of belonging. In a diverse community health center serving low-income patients, provision of produce and cooking education classes supported strategies to improve diet-related confidence, skills, and behavior. Cross-sector partnership within a health care setting may help patients and physicians prioritize nutrition and food access. Full article

The objective is to compare the gardening, cooking, and combined cooking and gardening programs in elementary schools from the past decade (2011–2022) in improving six psychosocial and behavioral outcomes related to fruit and vegetable intake. This review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Five scientific databases were searched to identify 4763 potential articles, 44 articles were retained after screening the studies’ abstract, and 36 articles were included after further investigation into each intervention. This review included 9 gardening-only programs, 8 cooking-only programs, and 19 combined cooking and gardening programs. The included studies were from 14 different countries with half of these studies took place in the United States (n = 18). Of the outcomes assessed, 100% (10/10) of the studies were effective in improving knowledge/skills, 90% effective in improving attitudes and self-efficacy to consume F and V (9/10), 80% produced significant results for gardening and cooking attitudes/behaviors (8/10) and willingness to try F and V (4/5), 68% (11/16) programs resulted in increase in F and V intake, and 62% (10/16) programs improved F and V preference. This review suggests that gardening-only programs (89%) and cooking-only programs (88%) were slightly more effective in producing significant findings compared to combined programs (84%), but more high-quality interventions are needed to confirm these findings. Full article

Culinary skills are defined as the confidence, attitude, and the application of one’s individual knowledge in performing culinary tasks, and their development may be associated with better diet quality and better health status. This study aimed to analyze the association between cooking skills, overweight, and obesity in undergraduates. This is a descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study, with data collected between October 2020 and March 2021, with undergraduate students (n = 823) at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Participants answered the online Brazilian Cooking Skills and Healthy Eating Questionnaire Evaluation, BCSQ, which included socioeconomic information. Logistic regressions were used to assess the associations of cooking skills with overweight and obesity. From the total of the students, 70.8% were female, with a median age of 23 (21–30) years; 43.6% were with overweight or obesity; 48.8% were eutrophic; and 7.7% underweight. Overweight and obesity were significantly associated with low levels of culinary self-efficacy and self-efficacy in the use of fruits, vegetables, and seasonings in the bivariate analysis. The logistic regressions showed that living with other people and eating out were associated with higher chances of overweight and obesity. Sharing the responsibility for preparing meals and a high self-efficacy in the use of fruits, vegetables, and seasonings were associated with lower chances for overweight/obesity. Overall, our study showed that overweight and obesity were associated with lower cooking skills in the studied undergraduates. Therefore, the study demonstrates that culinary skills can be explored in educational programs that aim to reduce overweight/obesity in students. Full article