Diet, HealthyNCT04084028
Cooking as a Health Behavior in College Students
A study testing Active Cooking Classes, Meal Kits and Recipes in people with Diet, Healthy, run by University of Vermont at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Students who live off campus at the University of Vermont will be recruited to participate in the study which will begin in Fall 2019 and run through May 2020. The intervention is a randomized-controlled trial where students will be randomized into one of four conditions: 1) Active cooking classes followed by meal… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 25 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Diet, Healthy
- What is being tested?
- Active Cooking Classes, Meal Kits and Recipes
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 53 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2019to 18 May 2020
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 25 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Undergraduate students at the University of Vermont living off campus independently (may have roommates but not live with a guardian)
- Ages 18-25
- Cooks dinner at home no more than 3x/week
- Access to a kitchen at home
- Availability during scheduled cooking classes/demonstrations
Who cannot join
- Students will be excluded from the study if they do not complete baseline data collection measures prior to the first class meeting.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Examining Cooking as a Health Behavior in College Students
Students who live off campus at the University of Vermont will be recruited to participate in the study which will begin in Fall 2019 and run through May 2020. The intervention is a randomized-controlled trial where students will be randomized into one of four conditions: 1) Active cooking classes followed by meal kits and recipes, 2) Active cooking classes followed by no further instruction, 3) No cooking classes followed by meal kits and recipes, or 4) No intervention. Assessments will be conducted at baseline and following each phase.
Read the detailed description
The proposed pilot study is a randomized trial to evaluate whether cooking classes produce greater gains in cooking skills, food agency, and cooking frequency than meal kits or no intervention. There will be three phases to the study intervention and four study conditions (as outlined below).
Phase 1- Cooking classes. All participants will attend 1 kitchen intensive session followed by 1 cooking class per week for 6 weeks
Phase 2- Meal Kits. Assigned participants will receive meal kit deliveries once per week for 6 weeks.
Phase 3- Recipes. Assigned participants will receive 5 healthy recipes by email once per week for 6 weeks. This phase was planned, but was canceled due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
The investigators will randomize 64 students to one of four intervention conditions.
Group A (n=16) - Active cooking classes followed by meal kits and recipes Group B (n=16) - Active cooking classes followed by no further instruction Group C (n=16) - No cooking classes followed by meal kits and recipes Group D (n=16) - No intervention
Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and following each phase.
Cooking Classes: Subjects in the cooking class conditions will begin with a brief lecture on the day's lesson followed by a demonstration from the chef instructor. Subjects will then work with a partner to prepare the recipe with guidance from the chef instructor. All participants will receive printed copies of the weekly recipe(s). At the end of the class period all subjects will take part in a sensory experience led by the chef instructor in which they will observe the appearance, smell, taste, and texture, of the meal they have just prepared.
Meal Kits: With the meal delivery service, participants will get all the ingredients they need to make a meal as well as a recipe for the meal which includes step-by-step photos. They are then responsible for doing the actual cooking of the meal. Students will all receive kits for 3 meals per week from the same delivery service and will have the option to select meals that fit their dietary needs (vegetarian, gluten free, etc.). Meal kits are designed to serve two individuals therefore students should have enough food for six meals, though they will only need to cook three times. The service used is open to the public, therefore students who enjoyed the meal kit service could opt to continue service and pay for it themselves. However, students will be instructed to wait until study completion to do so.
Recipes: Recipes will be designed by the research team, which includes three registered dietitians and a trained chef. Students will receive recipes for five healthy meals per week. Participants will need to shop, budget, and plan on their own. Recipes will accommodate major dietary preferences including vegetarian and gluten-free.
- Conditions
- Diet, Healthy
- Being tested
- Active Cooking Classes, Meal Kits, Recipes
- Keywords
- food agency, cooking
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Active Cooking ClassesBehavioural
6 cooking classes will be held every week for 6 consecutive weeks. The lessons are patterned after Dr. Amy Trubek's cooking pedagogy and will be tailored for those cooking for themselves for the first time. Classes begin with a brief lecture on the day's topic. Students will work in teams of 2 in the foods lab to actively practice skills and cook a meal. Students receive recipes and information sheets that cover pantry supplies, grocery lists, knife skills and cooking equipment. All students attend a 2 hour kitchen intensive demonstration as an orientation.
Meal KitsBehavioural
Students receive 6 weeks of home delivered meal kits. Meal kits include ingredients and detailed instructions for 3 meals, which each serve two people. Students may select meals from a list of 18 options that include vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options.
RecipesBehavioural
Students are emailed a set of recipes once a week for 6 weeks. Recipes include options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Recipe sets include vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. This intervention was cancelled by COVID-related disruptions and did not take place.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Active Cooking +meal kits and recipes | Experimental | Participants will attend a weekly 2-hour cooking class to learn how to prepare meals. Participants cook and sample the meal at the end of class and the chef will walk them through a sensory exercise. At the end of each class, participants will be provided with the recipe for the next class and asked to create a timeline for the various steps of preparation. Participants will bring this timeline to class and discuss as a group before preparing the meal.
Following 6 weeks of cooking classes, participants will receive 6 weeks of home-delivered meal kits. Following 6 weeks of meal kits, participants will received 6 weeks of recipes. Both the meal kits and recipes will accommodate major dietary needs (vegan, gluten-free, etc.) Receives: Behavioral: Active Cooking Classes; Behavioral: Meal Kits; Behavioral: Recipes |
| Active cooking only | Active comparator | Participants will attend a weekly 2-hour cooking class to learn how to prepare meals. Participants cook and sample the meal at the end of class and the chef will walk them through a sensory exercise. At the end of each class, participants will be provided with the recipe for the next class and asked to create a timeline for the various steps of preparation. Participants will bring this timeline to class and discuss as a group before preparing the meal. Unlike the previous arm, no further instruction will be given once cooking classes end. Receives: Behavioral: Active Cooking Classes |
| Meal Kits only | Active comparator | Participants will receive weekly meal kit deliveries for 6 weeks. Following 6 weeks of meal kit deliveries, students will receive emails at the beginning of each week providing them with 5 healthy recipes. Receives: Behavioral: Meal Kits; Behavioral: Recipes |
| Control | No intervention | Participants will receive no interventions. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Diet Quality at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Difference in diet quality change between groups from baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2. 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. Score range is 0 - 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
Measured: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Secondary outcomes (5)
Cooking and Food Practices at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Cooking and Food Practices score at baseline and change at phase 1 and phase 2, will be measured by The Cooking and Food Provisioning Action Scale (CAFPAS) measures food preparation skills and capacities. The CAFPAS contains 28 items administered with a 7-point bipolar Likert scale. There are three subscales: Self-Efficacy (measures whether an individual thinks their cooking ability and skills are adequate), Attitude (measures an individual's affective stance towards food, cooking and provisioning in different areas), and Structure (measures the ways in which external factors can either hinder or support an individual's cooking and provisioning actions). Subscales are scored by coding responses from 1-7, reversing them as necessary, summing the items and dividing by the standard deviation of the sample population's scores on the subscale. The total CAFPAS score is the sum of the three subscales. The total score range is 3-196. A higher score is associated with improvement.
Measured: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Stress Level at Baseline and Change From Baseline
The Perceived Stress Scale is a reliable and valid measure of perceived stress in adults including college students. Ten questions assess how often one perceives various forms of stress such as feeling unable to control important events, being upset by something unexpected, and feeling nervous. Individual scores on the PSS can range from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress.
Scores ranging from 0-13 would be considered low stress. Scores ranging from 14-26 would be considered moderate stress. Scores ranging from 27-40 would be considered high perceived stress
Measured: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Breakfast Cooking Frequency at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Breakfast cooking frequency was assessed at baseline and following each 6 week study phase 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.
Measured: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Lunch Cooking Frequency at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Lunch cooking frequency was assessed at baseline and following each 6 week study phase 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.
Measured: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Dinner Cooking Frequency at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Dinner cooking frequency was assessed at baseline and following each 6 week study phase 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.
Measured: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Sep 2019
- Study start1 Sep 2019
- Primary completion18 May 2020
- Study completion18 May 2020
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for Diet, HealthyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 53 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Vermont
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Lizzy Pope, University of Vermont
- Investigators
- Lizzy F Pope, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Vermont
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04084028
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CHRBSS #00000397
- Other IDs
- VT-H02510
- Status last verified
- Jun 2021
- First submitted
- 5 Sep 2019
- Last updated
- 8 Jul 2021
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Jul 2021. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Examining Cooking as a Health Behavior in College Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04084028
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CHRBSS #00000397
- Conditions
- Diet, Healthy
- Keywords
- food agency, cooking
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 53 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of VermontUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2019 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 18 May 2020 (actual)
- Study completion
- 18 May 2020 (actual)
- First posted
- 10 Sep 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 8 Jul 2021
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Students who live off campus at the University of Vermont will be recruited to participate in the study which will begin in Fall 2019 and run through May 2020. The intervention is a randomized-controlled trial where students will be randomized into one of four conditions: 1) Active cooking classes followed by meal kits and recipes, 2) Active cooking classes followed by no further instruction, 3) No cooking classes followed by meal kits and recipes, or 4) No intervention. Assessments will be conducted at baseline and following each phase.
Detailed description
The proposed pilot study is a randomized trial to evaluate whether cooking classes produce greater gains in cooking skills, food agency, and cooking frequency than meal kits or no intervention. There will be three phases to the study intervention and four study conditions (as outlined below).
Phase 1- Cooking classes. All participants will attend 1 kitchen intensive session followed by 1 cooking class per week for 6 weeks
Phase 2- Meal Kits. Assigned participants will receive meal kit deliveries once per week for 6 weeks.
Phase 3- Recipes. Assigned participants will receive 5 healthy recipes by email once per week for 6 weeks. This phase was planned, but was canceled due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
The investigators will randomize 64 students to one of four intervention conditions.
Group A (n=16) - Active cooking classes followed by meal kits and recipes Group B (n=16) - Active cooking classes followed by no further instruction Group C (n=16) - No cooking classes followed by meal kits and recipes Group D (n=16) - No intervention
Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and following each phase.
Cooking Classes: Subjects in the cooking class conditions will begin with a brief lecture on the day's lesson followed by a demonstration from the chef instructor. Subjects will then work with a partner to prepare the recipe with guidance from the chef instructor. All participants will receive printed copies of the weekly recipe(s). At the end of the class period all subjects will take part in a sensory experience led by the chef instructor in which they will observe the appearance, smell, taste, and texture, of the meal they have just prepared.
Meal Kits: With the meal delivery service, participants will get all the ingredients they need to make a meal as well as a recipe for the meal which includes step-by-step photos. They are then responsible for doing the actual cooking of the meal. Students will all receive kits for 3 meals per week from the same delivery service and will have the option to select meals that fit their dietary needs (vegetarian, gluten free, etc.). Meal kits are designed to serve two individuals therefore students should have enough food for six meals, though they will only need to cook three times. The service used is open to the public, therefore students who enjoyed the meal kit service could opt to continue service and pay for it themselves. However, students will be instructed to wait until study completion to do so.
Recipes: Recipes will be designed by the research team, which includes three registered dietitians and a trained chef. Students will receive recipes for five healthy meals per week. Participants will need to shop, budget, and plan on their own. Recipes will accommodate major dietary preferences including vegetarian and gluten-free.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Active Cooking +meal kits and recipes | Experimental | Behavioral: Active Cooking Classes, Behavioral: Meal Kits, Behavioral: RecipesParticipants will attend a weekly 2-hour cooking class to learn how to prepare meals. Participants cook and sample the meal at the end of class and the chef will walk them through a sensory exercise. At the end of each class, participants will be provided with the recipe for the next class and asked to create a timeline for the various steps of preparation. Participants will bring this timeline to class and discuss as a group before preparing the meal. Following 6 weeks of cooking classes, participants will receive 6 weeks of home-delivered meal kits. Following 6 weeks of meal kits, participants will received 6 weeks of recipes. Both the meal kits and recipes will accommodate major dietary needs (vegan, gluten-free, etc.) |
| Active cooking only | Active comparator | Behavioral: Active Cooking ClassesParticipants will attend a weekly 2-hour cooking class to learn how to prepare meals. Participants cook and sample the meal at the end of class and the chef will walk them through a sensory exercise. At the end of each class, participants will be provided with the recipe for the next class and asked to create a timeline for the various steps of preparation. Participants will bring this timeline to class and discuss as a group before preparing the meal. Unlike the previous arm, no further instruction will be given once cooking classes end. |
| Meal Kits only | Active comparator | Behavioral: Meal Kits, Behavioral: RecipesParticipants will receive weekly meal kit deliveries for 6 weeks. Following 6 weeks of meal kit deliveries, students will receive emails at the beginning of each week providing them with 5 healthy recipes. |
| Control | No intervention | –Participants will receive no interventions. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 25 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Undergraduate students at the University of Vermont living off campus independently (may have roommates but not live with a guardian)
- Ages 18-25
- Cooks dinner at home no more than 3x/week
- Access to a kitchen at home
- Availability during scheduled cooking classes/demonstrations
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Students will be excluded from the study if they do not complete baseline data collection measures prior to the first class meeting.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Active Cooking Classes6 cooking classes will be held every week for 6 consecutive weeks. The lessons are patterned after Dr. Amy Trubek's cooking pedagogy and will be tailored for those cooking for themselves for the first time. Classes begin with a brief lecture on the day's topic. Students will work in teams of 2 in the foods lab to actively practice skills and cook a meal. Students receive recipes and information sheets that cover pantry supplies, grocery lists, knife skills and cooking equipment. All students attend a 2 hour kitchen intensive demonstration as an orientation. | Behavioural | Active Cooking +meal kits and recipes, Active cooking only |
| Meal KitsStudents receive 6 weeks of home delivered meal kits. Meal kits include ingredients and detailed instructions for 3 meals, which each serve two people. Students may select meals from a list of 18 options that include vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. | Behavioural | Active Cooking +meal kits and recipes, Meal Kits only |
| RecipesStudents are emailed a set of recipes once a week for 6 weeks. Recipes include options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Recipe sets include vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. This intervention was cancelled by COVID-related disruptions and did not take place. | Behavioural | Active Cooking +meal kits and recipes, Meal Kits only |
Primary outcome
Diet Quality at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Time frame: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Difference in diet quality change between groups from baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2. 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: 1. Adequacy components are encouraged. Higher scores reflect higher intakes. 2. 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. Score range is 0 - 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
5 secondary outcomes
Cooking and Food Practices at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Time frame: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Stress Level at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Time frame: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Breakfast Cooking Frequency at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Time frame: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Lunch Cooking Frequency at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Time frame: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Dinner Cooking Frequency at Baseline and Change From Baseline
Time frame: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Jul 2021.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Lizzy F Pope, PhD principal investigator
University of Vermont
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Active Cooking Classes, Meal Kits and Recipes in people with Diet, Healthy, run by University of Vermont at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jul 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 8 Jul 2021). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Diet Quality at Baseline and Change From Baseline (time frame: Baseline, end of phase 1, and end of phase 2, up to 12 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Jul 2021.