Abstract 14044: Virtual Teaching Kitchen: A Feasibility Study of a Nutrition Intervention for Patients With Food Insecurity and Metabolic Disease

Abstract

Introduction: Food insecurity is a well-established risk factor for cardiometabolic conditions. The objective of this study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a virtual teaching kitchen-based intervention to promote healthful food intake, cooking skills, and motivation to make dietary changes. Method: We conducted a single-group study among patients with metabolic syndrome and food insecurity. The intervention consisted of four classes delivering dietary education promoting healthy food intake, diet strategies, and practical cooking skills, facilitated by a physician and a registered dietician chef. An internet-capable tablet was provided for remote participation via the zoom platform. Interviewer-administered surveys measured food intake and internal motivation via Likert scale screeners at baseline and at immediate post-intervention time points. Interviews were conducted to explore acceptability. Results: Of 100 participants invited, 22 were recruited and 10 attended the intervention. Mean age was 61.2 years, nine were female, nine self-identified as Black, and two were Hispanic. Mean BMI was 32.7, all ten participants had hypertension, eight had both diabetes and obesity and seven had hyperlipidemia. Mean attendance per class was seven and five attended all four sessions. From baseline to post-intervention, there was a significant increase in consumption of low-fat milk (0.14 to 0.50, p=0.02), whole grains (0.28 to 0.99, p=0.01), breakfast (0.37 to 1.60, p=0.002) and home cooking (1.09 to 1.88, p=0.04). Internal motivation score was high at baseline and unchanged at follow-up (5.6 to 5.9, p=0.9). Qualitative analysis revealed the following themes: Increase in knowledge of healthy recipes; Barriers to healthy eating including competing household and childcare responsibilities; and Convenience of a virtual group while interacting with group members. Conclusions: Our virtual nutrition education intervention addressing cardiometabolic disease in a safety net hospital was deemed feasible and acceptable. Participants made modest changes to their diet. Future directions include measuring health outcomes and primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.