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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03783962

Examining Cooking as a Health Behavior

The proposed pilot study will examine cooking as an intervention target for weight control in overweight adults. The study will also examine whether interventions designed to promote cooking at home can increase participants' sense of food agency, and overcome common barriers to cooking at home such as time scarcity and budget constrictions. The study will utilize a cooking pedagogy designed to not just teach participants the basics of cooking different foods, but how to be efficient, mindful cooks. If cooking class participation positively impacts diet and health outcomes, it will bolster the case for promoting cooking at home as a health behavior for multiple populations.

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Key information

Conditions

Obesity Body Weight Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Overnutrition Overweight Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Vermont

Burlington, Vermont, 05405, United States

About this study

A two arm randomized control trial will examine whether the addition of an active cooking lesson versus a passive observed lesson to a behavioral weight loss intervention results in significantly greater weight loss. Additionally, the study will examine whether interventions designed to promote cooking at home can increase participants' sense of food agency, and overcome common barriers to cooking at home such as time scarcity and budget constrictions.

Overweight and obese but otherwise healthy participants (n=64) will be recruited. Recruitment and study initiation will occur in two waves. Wave 1 aims to recruit 32 individuals who will then be randomized to 1) a 24 week, 24 session group behavioral weight loss intervention with 12 bi-weekly cooking lessons; or, 2) the same 24 week, 24 session group behavioral weight loss intervention with 12 bi-weekly cooking demonstrations. Both groups get the same intervention and the same counselor delivered intervention elements; the presence of active cooking lessons vs. passive observed cooking demonstrations is the only difference between conditions. Assessments will be conducted at 0, 3 and 6 months. Wave 2 (n=32) will follow the same process as Wave 1 approximately two months after Wave 1 is initiated.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • only individuals who are cooking (from scratch) no more than 3 meals at home per week will be eligible.
  • must have a computer or smart device with internet access (at home or work) in order to track their diet and exercise behaviors,
  • potential participants will be required to demonstrate some ability to comply with study intervention procedures to be eligible (specifically, they must complete an online dietary self-monitoring diary for 3 days)
  • must be at least 18 years old and have a BMI between 25-50 kg/m2
  • must agree to be randomized to either study arm and available for both scheduled meeting times in person on the University of Vermont campus

Exclusion criteria

  • pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the next 6 months or lactating
  • physical conditions that would preclude exercise
  • medication affecting weight loss
  • currently enrolled in another weight loss program
  • currently cooking more than 3 meals from scratch at home per week

Treatment and study plan

Active Intervention - Cooking

Behavioral

Key behavioral strategies to facilitate making sustained changes in dietary habits and activity patterns are introduced, promoted and reinforced throughout the program. In-person sessions facilitated by an interventionist provide the group meetings. The program provides 24 weekly facilitated group sessions over 6 months. In addition to attending weekly classes, participants will track food intake, exercise, and weight. Participants will share online tracking diaries with the group facilitator who will offer individualized feedback on individual progress.

Twelve cooking classes will be run every other week after the in-person weight loss meetings.

Demonstrations - Cooking

Behavioral

The Demonstrations group will receive the exact same behavioral weight loss intervention as the cooking group. The only difference is that this group will attend cooking demonstrations as opposed to actively cooking.

Primary outcomes

  1. Weight Change

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    Weight loss from baseline at 24 weeks

  2. Change From Baseline in the Total HEI Score, as a Measure of Diet Quality Change

    Time frame: Baseline and 24 weeks

    Difference in diet quality change between groups across assessments. Measured by Healthy Eating Index scores.

    The HEI includes 13 components that capture recommendations of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. There are two groupings of components:

    • Adequacy components are encouraged. Higher scores reflect higher intakes.
    • Moderation components should be limited. Higher scores reflect lower intakes. A higher total HEI score reflects higher diet quality as defined by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

    Components are weighted equally and assigned a score of either 5 or 10. Scores as summed to determine total score. The minimum possible score is 0 and the maximum possible is 100.

    Adequacy Components:

    Total Fruits 5 Whole Fruits 5 Total vegetables 5 Greens and beans 5 Whole grains 10 Dairy 10 Total protein foods 5 Seafood and plant proteins 5 Fatty acids 10

    Moderation Components:

    Refined grains 10 Sodium 10 Added sugars 10 Saturated fats 10

Secondary outcomes

  1. Cooking and Food Practices Change - Total Score

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    Difference in baseline and end point Cooking and Food Provisioning Action Scale Total scores between groups.

    Structure subscale measures whether an individual thinks their cooking ability and skills are adequate. On a scale of 1-21, higher scores over time indicate improvement.

  2. Cooking and Food Practices Change - Structure Subscale

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    Difference in baseline and end point Cooking and Food Provisioning Action Scale Structure subscale scores between groups.

    Structure subscale measures the ways in which external factors can either hinder or support an individual's cooking and provisioning actions. On a scale of 1-7, higher scores over time indicate improvement.

  3. Cooking and Food Practices Change - Attitude Subscale

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    Difference in baseline and end point Cooking and Food Provisioning Action Scale Attitude subscale scores between groups.

    Structure subscale measures an individual's affective stance towards food, cooking and provisioning in different areas. On a scale of 1-7, higher scores over time indicate improvement.

  4. Cooking and Food Practices Change - Self Efficacy Subscale

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    Difference in baseline and end point Cooking and Food Provisioning Action Scale Self Efficacy subscale scores between groups.

    Structure subscale measures whether an individual thinks their cooking ability and skills are adequate. On a scale of 1-7, higher scores over time indicate improvement.

  5. Cooking Frequency Change - Breakfast

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    Breakfast cooking frequency was assessed at baseline and 24 weeks using the cooking frequency subscale from the Cooking Perceptions/Attitudes/Confidence/Behaviors Survey. The scores range from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 7 meals cooked during a one week period.

  6. Cooking Frequency Change - Lunch

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    Lunch cooking frequency was assessed at baseline and 24 weeks using the cooking frequency subscale from the Cooking Perceptions/Attitudes/Confidence/Behaviors Survey. The scores range from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 7 meals cooked during a one week period.

  7. Cooking Frequency Change - Dinner

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    Dinner cooking frequency was assessed at baseline and 24 weeks using the cooking frequency subscale from the Cooking Perceptions/Attitudes/Confidence/Behaviors Survey. The scores range from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 7 meals cooked during a one week period.

  8. Treatment Engagement- Attendance

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    Percent (of 24 possible) classes attended will be calculated to determine treatment engagement

  9. Treatment Engagement- Food Journaling Compliance

    Time frame: Baseline to six months

    Percent of weekly food journals at least partially completed (an entry made during a seven day period) will be calculated to determine treatment engagement

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Vermont

Other

Registry information

Acronym: iChef

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Dec 21, 2018
Registry last updated
May 17, 2021

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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