Impact of Cooking and Home Food Preparation Interventions Among Adults: A Systematic Review (2011-2016)

To update a review of the impact of interventions for adults that included a cooking component on diet, health, and psychosocial outcomes.

A total of 3,047 records were identified by searching MEDLINE, Agricola, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (January, 2011 to March, 2016). A total of 34 articles met inclusion and exclusion criteria for analysis. Study description and outcomes were extracted and synthesized to generate conclusions regarding impact.

Less than half of the studies included a control group. The most common intended outcomes were improvements in fruit and/or vegetable intake and weight. The majority of studies showed positive dietary behavior changes and improvements in cooking confidence and knowledge. Limitations included the lack of a control group, no follow-up past after intervention, the use of nonvalidated assessment instruments, and small convenience samples.

Findings were similar to a previous review regarding positive impact on dietary and cooking confidence outcomes. Clinical and weight outcomes were addressed in more studies included in the current review than in the previous 1; however, limitations were similar.

Intervention design and assessment tools need to be strengthened in intervention studies with cooking components.