Cooking Behavior Research Articles

Culinary medicine and culinary nutrition education for individuals with the capacity to influence health related behaviour change: A scoping review.

Culinary medicine (CM) or culinary nutrition (CN) education provided to professionals with the capacity to influence behaviour change is an emerging strategy to promote diet quality and reduce the burden of diet related chronic disease in adults. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesise current research describing CM/CN education provided to or by health, education and culinary professionals, or students of these disciplines. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) was used. Eleven electronic databases were searched in March 2019. Included studies were: (i) nutrition, health or lifestyle programs with a CM/CN component; (ii) study participants or programs facilitated by people working or training in health, community and/or adult education, or culinary roles where facilitator training was described; (iii) reported in the English language; and (iv) published from 2003. In total, 33 studies were included. Nineteen studies delivered programs to general population groups and were facilitated by health professionals and/or health university students. Fourteen studies delivered CM/CN training to health professionals or students. Studies reported changes in participants' culinary skill and nutrition knowledge (n = 18), changes in dietary intake (n = 13), attitudes and behaviour change in healthy eating and cooking (n = 4), and competency in nutrition counselling and knowledge (n = 7). Further research examining the effectiveness of CM/CN programs, and that describes optimal content, format and timing of the programs, is needed. Research evaluating the impact of training in CM/CN to education and culinary professionals on healthy cooking behaviours of their patients/clients is warranted.

Impact of Older Adult Nutrition Education Program on General Nutrition Knowledge and Cooking Behaviors, A Pilot Study

Impact of Older Adult Nutrition Education Program on General Nutrition Knowledge and Cooking Behaviors, A Pilot Study

O11 Association Between Food Security and Food Skills Education Among Cooking Matters Participants

ObjectiveTest the association between food security and food skills education among Cooking Matters participants.Use of Theory or ResearchCooking Matters uses evidence-based curricula built upon the Social Cognitive Theory, with a focus on increasing self-efficacy through participatory food skills education to enable positive behavior change.Target AudienceLow-income adults, parents and caregivers, and families during 2017 and 2019.Program DescriptionCooking Matters for Adults, Cooking Matters for Parents, and Cooking Matters for Families curricula were applied to teach participants how to shop for and prepare healthy meals on a limited budget.Evaluation MethodsCooking Matters participants completed pre and post course surveys. Food security was assessed with 1 item to capture “How often do you worry your food might run out before you get money to buy more?” Never or rarely (food secure) versus sometimes, often, or always (food insecure) responses were collapsed. Chi-square tests were applied to test the relationship between food security or food insecurity and demographics, dietary choices, cooking behaviors, and food resource management from pre to post (P < 0.05).ResultsIn total, 20,018 Cooking Matters participants responded to the food security question during 2017 (n = 9,893) and 2019 (n = 10,125). Worry about running out of food significantly decreased from 56.5% to 53.5% (P < 0.001), with 2,622 (13.1%) of all participants decreasing worry. Participants who identified as male, Hispanic or Latino, non-Caucasian, aged 18-39, those with lower education levels, and larger household sizes were significantly more likely to decrease worry about running out of food than other demographic groups (P < 0.01). Participants that decreased worry were significantly more likely to increase healthy dietary choices, positive cooking behaviors, and practice food resource management skills than decrease these variables (P < 0.01).ConclusionMore research is needed to understand the relationship between changes in food security and food skills education. Test the association between food security and food skills education among Cooking Matters participants. Cooking Matters uses evidence-based curricula built upon the Social Cognitive Theory, with a focus on increasing self-efficacy through participatory food skills education to enable positive behavior change. Low-income adults, parents and caregivers, and families during 2017 and 2019. Cooking Matters for Adults, Cooking Matters for Parents, and Cooking Matters for Families curricula were applied to teach participants how to shop for and prepare healthy meals on a limited budget. Cooking Matters participants completed pre and post course surveys. Food security was assessed with 1 item to capture “How often do you worry your food might run out before you get money to buy more?” Never or rarely (food secure) versus sometimes, often, or always (food insecure) responses were collapsed. Chi-square tests were applied to test the relationship between food security or food insecurity and demographics, dietary choices, cooking behaviors, and food resource management from pre to post (P < 0.05). In total, 20,018 Cooking Matters participants responded to the food security question during 2017 (n = 9,893) and 2019 (n = 10,125). Worry about running out of food significantly decreased from 56.5% to 53.5% (P < 0.001), with 2,622 (13.1%) of all participants decreasing worry. Participants who identified as male, Hispanic or Latino, non-Caucasian, aged 18-39, those with lower education levels, and larger household sizes were significantly more likely to decrease worry about running out of food than other demographic groups (P < 0.01). Participants that decreased worry were significantly more likely to increase healthy dietary choices, positive cooking behaviors, and practice food resource management skills than decrease these variables (P < 0.01). More research is needed to understand the relationship between changes in food security and food skills education.

Pasta from yellow lentils: How process affects starch features and pasta quality

The effects of conventional extrusion (CV) and extrusion-cooking (EC) were investigated on 100% yellow lentils (YL). Both the extrusion processes led to pasta with good cooking quality (cooking loss: 7.0–7.1 g/100 g, firmness: 530–608 N), even in overcooking (cooking loss: 7.7–7.9 g/100 g, firmness: 418–513 N). Contrary to what is known for gluten-free cereals, CV is effective in producing pasta from native YL with no need for a pre-gelatinization step. However, pasta from EC showed a higher compression energy (2898 versus 2448 N*mm). In this sample, starch presented a higher degree of gelatinization (75.5 versus 57.6 g/100 g) and lower enthalpy (0.97 versus 1.07 J/g). At the same time, EC promoted a more compact structure that required higher temperature for melting (66.49 versus 63.16 °C) and showing pasting properties (79.1 versus 74.7 °C). Thus, by selecting suitable extrusion conditions it is possible to improve the cooking behavior of 100% pulse pasta.

Association of personal network attributes with clean cooking adoption in rural South India

Adoption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is the primary policy approach in India to transition rural poor communities toward clean cooking behavior. Prior clean cooking studies show that affordability, accessibility, and awareness impact LPG adoption in India. There is scarce research that explores the association of personal networks of community members in their LPG adoption. In this cross-sectional study, we use standard egocentric personal network analyses and multivariate logistic regression models to examine the association of structure and composition of personal networks with LPG adoption in poor communities. Our results show that higher proportions of peers owning LPG are associated with higher likelihood of LPG ownership in the respondents (OR = 41.30, 95% confidence interval: 16.86–101.20, p = 0.00). This study on personal network characteristics in clean cooking research offers a germane foundation for further large scale personal network studies on clean cooking adoption in poor communities.

Thermal treatment of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): Factors determining cooking time and its consequences for sensory and nutritional quality.

Over the past years, the shift toward plant-based foods has largely increased the global awareness of the nutritional importance of legumes (common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in particular) and their potential role in sustainable food systems. Nevertheless, the many benefits of bean consumption may not be realized in large parts of the world, since long cooking time (lack of convenience) limits their utilization. This review focuses on the current insights in the cooking behavior (cookability) of common beans and the variables that have a direct and/or indirect impact on cooking time. The review includes the various methods to evaluate textural changes and the effect of cooking on sensory attributes and nutritional quality of beans. In this review, it is revealed that the factors involved in cooking time of beans are diverse and complex and thus necessitate a careful consideration of the choice of (pre)processing conditions to conveniently achieve palatability while ensuring maximum nutrient retention in beans. In order to harness the full potential of beans, there is a need for a multisectoral collaboration between breeders, processors, and nutritionists.

Evaluating OzHarvest\u2019s primary-school Food Education and Sustainability Training (FEAST) program in 10\u201312-year-old children in Australia: protocol for a pragmatic cluster non-randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe promotion of healthy eating is a public health priority. Poor dietary behaviours, including low fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption are of particular concern among children. Novel nutrition promotion strategies are needed to improve F&V consumption. Sustainability education could be used to support nutrition education within the school context. The purpose of this paper is to report the protocol for impact and process evaluation of the school-based Food Education and Sustainability Training (FEAST) program, designed to educate children about sustainability, food waste and nutrition, using hands-on cooking activities.MethodsA pragmatic, parallel, cluster non-randomized controlled trial with pre- and post-measures, will be implemented among 20 primary schools (10 intervention vs 10 wait-list-control) within NSW, Australia, involving children in Grades 5–6. FEAST is a curriculum-aligned program, delivered as a 1.5-h lesson/week, for a 10-week unit of inquiry, incorporating theory and cooking. FEAST was developed using theoretical frameworks which included Social Cognitive Theory and the Precede-Proceed Planning model. Primary outcomes include children’s self-reported F&V intakes (serves/day). Food literacy constructs such as: nutrition knowledge, food preparation and cooking skills, self-efficacy and behaviours, food waste knowledge and behaviours and food production knowledge, will be assessed as secondary outcomes. Process evaluation will assess program reach, adoption, implementation, maintenance, satisfaction and perceived benefits by teachers and students. An online survey (including quantitative and qualitative questions) was developed for administration at baseline (impact evaluation) and immediately post-intervention (impact and process evaluation). Intervention effects on quantitative study outcomes will be estimated with ​generalised linear mixed models, including random effects and will follow the intention-to-treat principles. Open-ended questions embedded within the surveys will be analysed qualitatively using content and thematic analyses.DiscussionResults from this trial will provide valuable information on the value of adding environmental sustainability strategies to nutrition education in schools. Results will inform the design of future research and programs focused on primary-school children’s nutrition, sustainability-related behaviours and experiential school-based interventions.Trial registrationTrial registered 14th December 2020 with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12620001347954).

Analysis and modeling of the thermal behavior of an improved pellet cookstove

In Sub-Saharan countries, cooking is usually done at a domestic scale using rudimentary stoves with wood or charcoal as combustibles. To improve the cooking behavior and reduce the deforestation, an improved pellet cookstove was conceptualized with guiding ideas in mind such as simplicity, robustness and ability to burn pellets built with local wood residues under a natural draught. Combustion and water ebullition tests were performed with two configurations of the upper part of the cookstove: thick steel plate or ring, and with standardized EN+ pellets as combustible. The main pollutant gases (CO, CO2 and NOx), together with O2, were continuously measured at different positions of the cookstove during a water ebullition test with the ring configuration. The levels measured above the pot were lower than the thresholds currently proposed by the World Health Organization. Simple and phenomenological thermal models were proposed to simulate the plate, or ring, and water temperatures during the combustion or water ebullition tests and to determine the intrinsic convection coefficients. The maximal relative differences between the experimental and simulated temperatures were computed between 7 and 21%. The stove power was evaluated at 4336 ± 23 W. The cookstove yield for the water ebullition test with the ring configuration was computed equal to 12.3 ± 0.1%, slightly lower than that of cookstoves previously analyzed in the literature.

Residential cooking and use of kitchen ventilation: The impact on exposure

ABSTRACT Cooking is one of the most significant indoor sources of particles. This study investigated residential cooking and kitchen ventilation behaviors in Canadian homes, using data from 132 households in Halifax and Edmonton. Only 27% of the cooking activities were conducted with added ventilation (range hood use 10%, window opening 15%, and both 2%). The use pattern of the range hood was associated with mealtime and cooking method/device. The frequency of window opening was influenced by season and did not show a clear linkage to ventilation for cooking. Fine particle (PM2.5) decay rates, source strengths, emission masses, and exposure levels were estimated for cooking activities under different ventilation conditions. The results demonstrated the effect of kitchen ventilation on PM2.5 removal. Using a range hood and (or) opening kitchen windows increased the geometric mean (GM) decay rate by a factor of two. The GM source strength from cooking was 0.73 mg min−1 (geometric standard deviation (GSD) = 4.3) over an average cooking time of 17 minutes (GSD = 2.6). The GM emission mass was 12.6 mg (GSD = 5.3). The GM exposure from a single cooking event was 12 µg m−3 h (GSD = 6.6). The average number of cooking events per day was 2.4 (SD = 1.5) times. Cooking contributed about 22% to the total daily PM2.5 exposure in participating homes. The frequency and duration of cooking conducted at various temporal scales (mealtime, weekday/weekend, and season), as well as the use of different methods and devices, can support more accurate modeling of the impact of cooking on indoor air quality and human exposure. Implications: The inadequate use of ventilation during cooking highlights the need for educational programs on cooking exposures and ventilation strategies, such as running a range hood fan or opening kitchen windows when possible. Exposures in newly built homes might be a bigger concern than older homes if not providing sufficient ventilation during cooking, due to the tighter building envelopes.

Well-Being and Cooking Behavior: Using the Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment (PERMA) Model as a Theoretical Framework.

The prevalence of psychosocial distress is increasing in the United States. At the same time, the American default lifestyle has steadily displaced household food production with industrial food production, despite increased cultural interest in cooking. An important focus of cooking research to date has been on cooking’s association with nutrition and dietary quality. Less focus has been placed on how cooking might foster the qualities that allow for mitigation of psychosocial distress and promote well-being. Rooted in its evolutionary role in the human experience, cooking requires skills and knowledge that have the capacity to encourage aspects of well-being as described by Seligman as flourishing. Evidence for a beneficial role of cooking in psychosocial health exists, but the exploration is limited, potentially due to lack of a theoretical context to explain these benefits. From this perspective, we review the current literature showing the application of Seligman’s prominent well-being model, Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment (PERMA), to cooking, defined as the activity related to the preparation of food or a meal. We propose that the PERMA model as applied to cooking may function as a theoretical framework to explore psychosocial outcomes associated with cooking. Broader application of this approach may also help to further the application of positive psychology in the developing literature around psychosocial health and nutrition-related chronic diseases.

COVID-19 impacts on household energy & food security in a Kenyan informal settlement: The need for integrated approaches to the SDGs

This longitudinal study presents the joint effects of a COVID-19 community lockdown on household energy and food security in an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Randomly administered surveys were completed from December 2019–March 2020 before community lockdown (n = 474) and repeated in April 2020 during lockdown (n = 194). Nearly universal (95%) income decline occurred during the lockdown and led to 88% of households reporting food insecurity. During lockdown, a quarter of households (n = 17) using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a cleaner cooking fuel typically available in pre-set quantities (e.g. 6 kg cylinders), switched to polluting cooking fuels (kerosene, wood), which could be purchased in smaller amounts or gathered for free. Household size increases during lockdown also led to participants’ altering their cooking fuel, and changing their cooking behaviors and foods consumed. Further, households more likely to switch away from LPG had lower consumption prior to lockdown and had suffered greater income loss, compared with households that continued to use LPG. Thus, inequities in clean cooking fuel access may have been exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdown. These findings demonstrate the complex relationship between household demographics, financial strain, diet and cooking patterns, and present the opportunity for a food-energy nexus approach to address multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): achieving zero hunger (SDG 2) and universal affordable, modern and clean energy access (SDG 7) by 2030. Ensuring that LPG is affordable, accessible and meets the dietary and cooking needs of families should be a policy priority for helping improve food and energy security among the urban poor.

Data-driven analyses of behavioral strategies to eliminate cysticercosis in sub-Saharan Africa.

The multi-host taeniosis/cysticercosis disease system is associated with significant neurological morbidity, as well as economic burden, globally. We investigated whether lower cost behavioral interventions are sufficient for local elimination of human cysticercosis in Boulkiemdé, Sanguié, and Nayala provinces of Burkina Faso. Province-specific data on human behaviors (i.e., latrine use and pork consumption) and serological prevalence of human and pig disease were used to inform a deterministic, compartmental model of the taeniosis/cysticercosis disease system. Parameters estimated via Bayesian melding provided posterior distributions for comparing transmission rates associated with human ingestion of Taenia solium cysticerci due to undercooking and human exposure to T. solium eggs in the environment. Reductions in transmission via these pathways were modeled to determine required effectiveness of a market-focused cooking behavior intervention and a community-led sanitation and hygiene program, independently and in combination, for eliminating human cysticercosis as a public health problem (<1 case per 1000 population). Transmission of cysticerci due to consumption of undercooked pork was found to vary significantly across transmission settings. In Sanguié, the rate of transmission due to undercooking was 6% higher than that in Boulkiemdé (95% CI: 1.03, 1.09; p-value < 0.001) and 35% lower than that in Nayala (95% CI: 0.64, 0.66; p-value < 0.001). We found that 67% and 62% reductions in undercooking of pork consumed in markets were associated with elimination of cysticercosis in Nayala and Sanguié, respectively. Elimination of active cysticercosis in Boulkiemdé required a 73% reduction. Less aggressive reductions of 25% to 30% in human exposure to Taenia solium eggs through sanitation and hygiene programs were associated with elimination in the provinces. Despite heterogeneity in effectiveness due to local transmission dynamics and behaviors, education on the importance of proper cooking, in combination with community-led sanitation and hygiene efforts, has implications for reducing morbidity due to cysticercosis and neurocysticercosis.

High-amylose corn in gluten-free pasta: Strategies to deliver nutritional benefits ensuring the overall quality

High-amylose corn alone or in combination (25% and 50%) with conventional corn was used to produce gluten-free pasta. Flour pre-gelatinization in a tank (process A) or on a conveyor belt (process B) were tested. Resistant starch (RS), soluble (SPAs) and cell-wall bound phenolic acids (CWBPAs) and antioxidant capacity were significantly higher in high-amylose corn pasta. Cooked pasta from process B showed a higher SPA concentration, likely due to the lower cooking loss. The structure of pasta prepared with process B was more homogeneous, whereas it was more compact in the case of process A, as shown by a lower starch susceptibility to α-amylase hydrolysis, higher beginning of gelatinization temperature and lower water absorption. 25% HA represents a good compromise between high RS (4.2%) and good cooking behavior. At higher HA levels, process B is more suitable to obtain pasta with a better cooking quality.

Peanut and linseed oil emulsion gels as potential fat replacer in emulsified sausages

The study aimed to highlight the utilization of gelled emulsion (GE) systems containing peanut and linseed oils to replace beef fat partially or completely in emulsified sausages. Total fat content was reduced by up to 40% and energy content was lowered by up to 27% in reformulated products. Saturated fatty acids and cholesterol were successfully decreased while noticeable increments were provided in mono and poly-unsaturated fatty acids in sausages containing GE. Moreover, the reformulation procedure presented a good potential for increasing n-3 content, while lowering atherogenicity index, thrombogenicity index, and n-6/n-3 ratios. Although the incorporated GE resulted in color and texture alterations, it was effective to improve the technological attributes in terms of emulsion stability and cooking behaviors. In GE added samples, oxidative stability of final products decreased; however sensory features were acceptable. Overall results pointed out that GE systems could be successfully conveyed to emulsified sausage formulations to ensure a healthier lipid profile with good technological and sensory quality.

Child eating behaviors, parental feeding practices and food shopping motivations during the COVID-19 lockdown in France: (How) did they change?

The COVID-19 pandemic caused France to impose a strict lockdown, affecting families' habits in many domains. This study evaluated possible changes in child eating behaviors, parental feeding practices, and parental motivations when buying food during the lockdown, compared to the period before the lockdown. Parents of 498 children aged 3–12 years (238 boys; M = 7.32; SD = 2.27) completed an online survey with items from validated questionnaires (e.g., CEDQ, CEBQ, HomeSTEAD). They reported on their (child's) current situation during the lockdown, and retrospectively on the period before the lockdown. Many parents reported changes in child eating behaviors, feeding practices, and food shopping motivations. When changes occurred, child appetite, food enjoyment, food responsiveness and emotional overeating significantly increased during the lockdown. Increased child boredom significantly predicted increased food responsiveness, emotional overeating and snack frequency in between meals. When parents changed their practices, they generally became more permissive: less rules, more soothing with food, more child autonomy. They bought pleasurable and sustainable foods more frequently, prepared more home-cooked meals and cooked more with the child. Level of education and increased stress level predicted changes in parental practices and motivations. This study provides insights in factors that can induce positive and negative changes in families' eating, feeding and cooking behaviors. This can stimulate future studies and interventions.

The Challenging Task of Measuring Home Cooking Behavior

The link between home cooking and health is being actively explored in both observational and experimental studies. However, research on this topic is limited by the lack of cooking behavior metrics. Most existing assessment tools focus only on cooking frequency or one's ability to complete specific a priori food preparations. Cooking is a complex and multifaceted behavior that is influenced by culture, environment, and social norms. More flexible and adaptable measurement approaches are needed to elucidate the spectrum of cooking ability in the population and, in turn, develop meaningful recommendations and interventions.

Consumer awareness and perceptions of arsenic exposure from rice and their willingness to change behavior

Arsenic exposure from rice poses a potential chronic threat to human health. While research has been conducted on consumer risk perceptions of heavy metals in food, there is a paucity of research in relation to consumers' knowledge of and attitudes towards arsenic in rice. In order to fill this gap, the current study set out to explore consumer awareness and risk perceptions of this threat, and identify potential strategies to promote behavior change to reduce consumers' exposure to arsenic from rice. 47 participants took part in 6 focus groups. Discussions were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed using NVivo 12. Three key themes emerged from the data: (1) consumer perceptions of risk information, (2) perceptions of food chain actors responsible for food safety and (3) factors influencing change in rice consumption behaviors. Consumers were found to lack evidence-based risk information relating to arsenic exposure from rice. Consumer trust in food chain actors responsible for food safety is varied and contributes to individual risk perceptions. Consumer risk perception, as a result of risk awareness and trust in the food chain, combined with a range of factors such as cost, convenience and sensory quality all contribute to consumers' willingness to change their current behavior. In order to effectively promote behavior change resulting in reduced arsenic exposure from rice, the following recommendations are made: (1) increasing consumers' risk perception of arsenic in rice, (2) building trust in those responsible for the safety of food and communication of risk information and (3) addressing the individually reported factors influencing consumers’ willingness to change their rice consumption and cooking behaviors.

Behavioural insights to support increased consumption of quality protein maize by young children: a cluster randomised trial in Ethiopia

IntroductionBiofortified crops have tremendous potential to improve child nutrition. We tested whether complementing the distribution of quality protein maize (QPM) with a package of interventions informed by behavioural insights could...

Cooking as a Health Behavior: Examining the Role of Cooking Classes in a Weight Loss Intervention.

Americans are cooking fewer meals at home and eating more convenience foods prepared elsewhere. Cooking at home is associated with higher quality diets, while a reduction in cooking may be associated with increases in obesity and risk factors for chronic disease. The aims of this study were to examine cooking as an intervention for weight control in overweight and obese adults, and whether such an intervention increases participants’ food agency and diet quality. Overweight and obese adults were randomized into one of two intervention conditions: active or demonstration. Both conditions received the same 24-week behavioral weight loss intervention, and bi-weekly cooking classes. The active condition prepared a weekly meal during a hands-on lesson, while the demonstration condition observed a chef prepare the same meal. The active condition lost significantly more weight at six months compared with the demonstration condition (7.3% vs. 4.5%). Both conditions saw significant improvements in food agency scores and Healthy Eating Index scores, though no significant differences were noted between groups. The addition of active cooking to a weight management intervention may improve weight loss outcomes, though benefits in diet quality and cooking behaviors may also be seen with the addition of a demonstration-only cooking intervention.

The convenience of non-conventional methods for evaluation of the culinary quality of beans

The standard Mattson method to evaluate the cooking time of beans on breeding programs presents disadvantages. We have tested and improved a non-conventional method previously proposed to evaluate the percentage of cooked grains on an automatic pressure cooker. It showed a similar trend as Mattson’s for the cooking behavior of contrasting genotypes, but the first showed a higher correlation with sensory tests. Differently, it is closer to the Brazilian domestic bean preparation. It is a simple and more affordable procedure for application in a huge routine, once it requires a shorter time to run simultaneously a larger number of samples with confident results. Its positive correlation with sensory analysis helps breeders to select promising genotypes from early breeding generations to attend consumer demands more efficiently. We recommend the standard method be used preferably to evaluate the advanced generations to validate the cooking quality of selected materials and to attend cultivar releasing normative.