Cooking at Home: Correlates of Frequency and Intention in Fifth Graders

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Child Nutrition
• Public Health

Background:

• Home cooking is linked to health benefits, yet children's participation in meal preparation has decreased.
• Understanding factors influencing children's home cooking is crucial for promoting healthy habits.
• The Theory of Planned Behavior provides a framework for examining behavioral intentions and actions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify determinants of the frequency and intention to cook at home among fifth-grade children.
• To apply the Theory of Planned Behavior to understand children's home cooking behaviors.
• To explore factors beyond self-efficacy influencing children's meal preparation.

Main Methods:

• A correlational study involving 241 fifth graders from five elementary schools in Quebec, Canada.
• Quantitative data collection using a self-administered questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior.
• Regression analyses to determine the predictors of cooking frequency and intention.

Main Results:

• 69% of children reported cooking at home in the past week.
• Behavioral intention was the sole significant predictor of cooking frequency, explaining 18% of the variance.
• Intention to cook was influenced by perceived behavioral control, attitude, norms, perceived barriers, gender, and normative beliefs, explaining 74% of the variance.

Conclusions:

• Parental support and factors like subjective norms and normative beliefs are crucial for encouraging children's home cooking.
• Interventions should focus on these determinants and foster children's autonomy in meal preparation.
• This study highlights the importance of psychological and social factors in shaping children's cooking behaviors.