The influence of socio-demographic, psychological and knowledge-related variables alongside perceived cooking and food skills abilities in the prediction of diet quality in adults: a nationally representative cross-sectional study.

Laura Mcgowan,Gerda K Pot,Martin Caraher,Elaine Mooney,Amanda Mccloat,Monique Raats,Lynsey Hollywood,Alison M Stephen,Moira Dean,Michelle Spence,Dawn Mcdowell,Fiona Lavelle

doi:10.1186/s12966-016-0440-4

Abstract

BackgroundInterventions to increase cooking skills (CS) and food skills (FS) as a route to improving overall diet are popular within public health. This study tested a comprehensive model of diet quality by assessing the influence of socio-demographic, knowledge- and psychological-related variables alongside perceived CS and FS abilities. The correspondence of two measures of diet quality further validated the Eating Choices Index (ECI) for use in quantitative research.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in a quota-controlled nationally representative sample of 1049 adults aged 20–60 years drawn from the Island of Ireland. Surveys were administered in participants’ homes via computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) assessing a range of socio-demographic, knowledge- and psychological-related variables alongside perceived CS and FS abilities. Regression models were used to model factors influencing diet quality. Correspondence between 2 measures of diet quality was assessed using chi-square and Pearson correlations.ResultsECI score was significantly negatively correlated with DINE Fat intake (r = -0.24, p < 0.001), and ECI score was significantly positively correlated with DINE Fibre intake (r = 0.38, p < 0.001), demonstrating a high agreement. Findings indicated that males, younger respondents and those with no/few educational qualifications scored significantly lower on both CS and FS abilities. The relative influence of socio-demographic, knowledge, psychological variables and CS and FS abilities on dietary outcomes varied, with regression models explaining 10–20 % of diet quality variance. CS ability exerted the strongest relationship with saturated fat intake (β = -0.296, p < 0.001) and was a significant predictor of fibre intake (β = -0.113, p < 0.05), although not for healthy food choices (ECI) (β = 0.04, p > 0.05).ConclusionGreater CS and FS abilities may not lead directly to healthier dietary choices given the myriad of other factors implicated; however, CS appear to have differential influences on aspects of the diet, most notably in relation to lowering saturated fat intake. Findings suggest that CS and FS should not be singular targets of interventions designed to improve diet; but targeting specific sub-groups of the population e.g. males, younger adults, those with limited education might be more fruitful. A greater understanding of the interaction of factors influencing cooking and food practices within the home is needed.

Highlights

Interventions to increase cooking skills (CS) and food skills (FS) as a route to improving overall diet are popular within public health
The sample mean was 45.8 (SD 38.6) for food skills; males scored significantly lower than females (35.5 ± 35.7 versus 53.8 ± 39.0); older participants scored significantly higher than younger participants (40.9 ± 36.5 versus 51.2 ± 40.2); and again, those with no formal education
Correspondence was further illustrated by correlations between the diet measures; Eating Choices Index (ECI) score was significantly negatively correlated with Dietary Instrument for Nutrition Education (DINE) Fat intake (r = -0.24, p < 0.001), and ECI score was significantly positively correlated with DINE Fibre intake (r = 0.38, p < 0.001)

Summary

Introduction

Interventions to increase cooking skills (CS) and food skills (FS) as a route to improving overall diet are popular within public health. The quality of the usual diet is not optimal in many parts of the world. Multiple factors influence food choice and diet quality on a number of levels; for example, budget, resources, household structure and food availability (at a socio-economic level); taste preferences, food attitudes and identity, health motivations, nutritional knowledge and habitual behaviour (at an individual level) [6,7,8,9]. FS have been defined as the ability to ‘purchase, prepare and cook food materials using available resources, to produce well-balanced and tasty meals, appropriate to the age and needs of the individuals consuming them’ [14]. Continued methodological difficulties in the definition and measurement of CS and FS are common, with few robust evaluations of interventions to improve these skills and their impact upon dietary behaviour, resulting in inconclusive findings on their effectiveness for improving diet [11, 12]

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