Jamie's Ministry of Food: quasi-experimental evaluation of immediate and sustained impacts of a cooking skills program in Australia

• Published in: PloS one 2014-12, Vol.9 (12), p.e114673-e114673
• Main Authors: Flego, Anna, Herbert, Jessica, Waters, Elizabeth, Gibbs, Lisa, Swinburn, Boyd, Reynolds, John, Moodie, Marj
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Assessments; Biology and Life Sciences; Cardiovascular disease; Childrens health; Chronic illnesses; Confidence; Cooking; Cooking - methods; Cooking - standards; Diet; Disease prevention; Eating; Eating behavior; Education; Education policy; Food; Fruits; Health care; Health economics; Health Education - methods; Health Education - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Ingredients; Intervention; Learning; Linear Models; Local government; Meals; Medical research; Medicine and Health Sciences; Nutrition research; Obesity; Population; Public health; Quasi-experimental methods; Queensland; Self Efficacy; Socioeconomic factors; Statistical analysis; Statistical significance; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Systematic review; Vegetables
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114673

To evaluate the immediate and sustained effectiveness of the first Jamie's Ministry of Food Program in Australia on individuals' cooking confidence and positive cooking/eating behaviours. A quasi- experimental repeated measures design was used incorporating a wait-list control group. A questionnaire was developed and administered at baseline (T1), immediately post program (T2) and 6 months post completion (T3) for participants allocated to the intervention group, while wait -list controls completed it 10 weeks prior to program commencement (T1) and just before program commencement (T2). The questionnaire measured: participants' confidence to cook, the frequency of cooking from basic ingredients, and consumption of vegetables, vegetables with the main meal, fruit, ready-made meals and takeaway. Analysis used a linear mixed model approach for repeated measures using all available data to determine mean differences within and between groups over time. All adult participants (≥18 years) who registered and subsequently participated in the program in Ipswich, Queensland, between late November 2011- December 2013, were invited to participate. In the intervention group: 694 completed T1, 383 completed T1 and T2 and 214 completed T1, T2 and T3 assessments. In the wait-list group: 237 completed T1 and 149 completed T1 and T2 assessments. Statistically significant increases within the intervention group (P