Diet quality is more strongly related to food skills rather than cooking skills confidence: Results from a national cross‐sectional survey

Abstract

Aim: While diet quality has declined globally, the promotion of cooking skills as a potential target to counter the decline has been proposed. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between food and cooking skills and diet quality in Australian adults. Methods: A sample of 910 Australian adults completed an online cross-sectional survey to evaluate their level of cooking and food skills confidence, food related psychological variables, diet quality using the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS) and sociodemographic characteristics. Analysis of variance with post hoc analysis, Pearson's correlations and hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted using IBM SPSS V25, with statistical significance set at P < .05. Results: Older respondents and females reported higher levels of both cooking and food skills confidence compared to younger and male participants, all P < .001.Cooking and food skills confidence scores were highly correlated (r = .70, P < .001), but weakly correlated with ARFS (r = .22, P < .001; r = .31, P < .001, respectively). Participants with higher diet quality scores had greater cooking and food skills confidence and they consumed less takeaway food (P < .001 and P = .006, respectively). Sixteen percent of the variance in ARFS was accounted for, with age, sex, food creativity and food skills confidence contributing the most variability.Conclusions: Strategies to improve food skills confidence could potentially enhance diet quality and variety to a greater degree than focusing on cooking skills alone. However, development of both skills sets should be encouraged within education programs and targeted to differing aspects of diet quality. Tailoring interventions to specific population groups with low confidence in their skills, including younger adults and males, may facilitate individuals in making healthy food choices.

Correlations between Self-Reported Cooking Confidence and Creativity and Use of Convenience Cooking Products in an Australian Cohort

“…The cooking confidence and creativity scales included in this questionnaire were based on the cooking identity and food creativity scales used in a previously validated questionnaire [23], with minor modifications. The cooking identity scale was used as a measure of cooking confidence, as it contains items such as "others view me as a good cook".…”

“…When individuals lack cooking skills, they become susceptible to messages about ease of preparation and taste [22]. As such, the use of convenience and processed food has increased, reducing the need for cooking skills [23]. The term "convenience cooking product" refers to products that provide a base for cooking meals that lowers the cooking time and preparation time.…”

Food Skills: Associations With Diet Quality and Food Waste Among Canadian Parents

“…The null results regarding mechanical skills may suggest that more complex food skills are needed to have an impact on diet quality. 20 Counter to the hypothesis, selfconfidence in mechanical techniques and conceptualizing food was positively associated with both avoidable and unavoidable food waste. Estimates of avoidable food waste per unit increase in confidence of mechanical techniques ranged from 8.3 to 70.1 g, which on the upper end is equivalent to approximately half of an apple being wasted each day.…”

A time of change

“…Several other papers present research across diverse areas of practice. In a large cross‐sectional study reported by Lavelle et al we learn that diet quality is more strongly related to food skills rather than cooking skills confidence. Original research investigating different aspects of renal function and management are included, as is the SPICE trial protocol …”