Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the association of early involvement in cooking activities with cooking
skills in adulthood, the importance of different sources for the acquisition, and
the link between cooking skills and healthy eating.
Design
Cross-sectional survey.
Participants
A random sample of 3,659 Swiss adults (47% men; average age = 58.8 years).
Main Outcome Measure
Self-reported cooking skills.
Analysis
ANOVA, Pearson correlations, t tests, and multiple regressions.
Results
More frequent involvement in cooking activities during childhood predicted better
cooking skills in adulthood in males (β = .13, P < .001) and females (β = .12, P < .001). Females were more involved than males in most age groups (P < .001). Women learned most about cooking from their mothers, cooking courses, and
self-study using different media. Men identified their partners/spouses and mothers
as the 2 most important sources. The study found associations between cooking skills
and diet quality in men (r = .11; P < .001; r2 = .01) and women (r = .12; P < .001; r2 = .01).
Conclusions and Implications
In children and adolescents, frequent involvement in cooking at home may promote better
cooking skills in later life. Additional prospective research into the impact of cooking
classes and interventions on developing cooking skills in children and adolescents
is warranted.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 19, 2020
Accepted:
December 30,
2019
Footnotes
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors have not stated any conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
