[Development of a prototype instrument to assess women's culinary autonomy]

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Instrument Development
• Public Health

Context:

• Assessing women's culinary autonomy is crucial for understanding food practices and informing public health interventions.
• Existing instruments may not fully capture the multifaceted nature of culinary autonomy within diverse household contexts.
• The study addresses the need for a validated tool to measure women's control over food-related decisions and practices.

Purpose:

• To develop and validate a prototype instrument for assessing women's culinary autonomy.
• To create a comprehensive tool reflecting individual knowledge, habits, attitudes, and household practices related to food.
• To establish a reliable measure for use in diverse Brazilian populations.

Summary:

• A prototype instrument for culinary autonomy was developed using a rigorous procedural framework.
• The process included literature review, focus groups, expert workshops, and pre-tests.
• The final prototype comprises 64 items across individual and household domains.
• Validation studies are ongoing across four Brazilian regions.

Impact:

• The validated instrument can support the development of targeted food and nutrition public policies.
• It will enhance the quality of nutritional care within Brazil's Unified National Health System.
• Findings can inform interventions aimed at improving women's empowerment in food-related matters.