Impacts of A Taste of African Heritage: A Culinary Heritage Cooking Course

To examine changes in cooking and dietary behaviors and health outcomes following participation in A Taste of African Heritage, a culinary heritage cooking course.

One group, pre-post program design, surveys, and physical assessments.

Community centers, churches, health care settings, homes, and housing complexes.

Participants (n = 586, 84% women) were recruited by partner organizations from 2013-2018 across 21 states and the District of Columbia.

A 6-week cooking curriculum that teaches history, nutrition, and cooking techniques to reconnect participants with the vibrant, healthy traditions of the African Diaspora.

Weekly frequency of cooking, food group intake, and exercise assessed by surveys, measured weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure.

Linear and logistic mixed-effects models with random intercepts for participant and teacher, sex and site type as covariates comparing pre-post physical measurements and binary behavioral outcomes, P < 0.0033 for statistical significance after Bonferroni correction.

Intake frequencies of fruit, vegetable, and greens and exercise frequency were improved from preprogram to postprogram (all P < 0.0021). Weight, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure were also improved from preprogram to postprogram (all P <0.0001).

Participation in A Taste of African Heritage was associated with positive behavior changes and health outcomes. Integrating cultural heritage and behaviors are positive components to connect participants to healthy old ways or traditions.