Validity and Reliability of a Food Skills Questionnaire

Promoting Nutrition and Food Sustainability Knowledge in Apprentice Chefs: An Intervention Study at The School of Italian Culinary Arts-ALMA

Chefs' decisions can greatly improve the quality of food provided and positively guide diners' choices. Culinary students' knowledge of healthy and sustainable nutrition is still scarcely investigated and is limited to the nutritional aspect of the diet, without considering food sustainability or the environmental impact of foods. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of an educational program designed for apprentice chefs. Two questionnaires were administered twice to each student who followed dedicated lectures about nutrition and food sustainability and to other students enrolled as the control group. A total of 264 and 252 apprentice chefs of The School of Italian Culinary Arts-ALMA were enrolled in the control and intervention groups, respectively. At baseline, both groups showed a good level of nutrition knowledge, whereas food sustainability knowledge was lower in all students, regardless of the group. This educational intervention proved to be effective in improving knowledge about nutrition and the environmental impact of food production and consumption. However, a small but significant improvement in nutritional knowledge was also found over time in the control group. Finally, a food sustainability knowledge questionnaire was developed and validated for this study, providing interesting results to be treated as a guide for future developments.

Public acceptance of residential photovoltaic installation: A case study in China

Residential photovoltaics (PV) presents an effective means of achieving low-carbon development, owing to its installation flexibility and resource-saving properties. To explore the residents' behavioral intentions to purchase and install residential PV systems, this study collected 1424 samples and analyze the impact of different policies on residents' adoption of residential PV using the theory of TPB and the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM). The main conclusions are summarized as follows: (1) Bungalow residents exhibit a stronger inclination to install residential PV than building residents. (2) Perceived reward (PR) affects installation intention (II) more than perceived guide (PG) among bungalow residents. (3) Both PR and PG indirectly affect II through Perceived behavioral control (PBC) among bungalow residents. Economic policies, represented by PR, are likely to have more substantial indirect effects than propaganda and guidance policies. The findings suggest that China's recent residential PV installation policies should increase users' trust and guide the future decline of subsidy policy.

Factors That Predict Food Skills in Canadian Gym Members: A National Cross-Sectional Survey

This study determined predictors of food skills in Canadian gym members. A random sample of gym members were invited to complete a validated Food Skills Questionnaire with supplementary questions. All questions/variables significantly associated (p < 0.05) and fair-to-moderately correlated (r ≥ 0.40) with Total Food Skills (TFSs) were analyzed by multiple regression. The respondents' (n = 576) mean ± SD age was 41.3 ± 14.8 years, with 67.3% females and 13.2% students. The mean TFSs score was 77.1 ± 11.9 (maximum 100). Females reported higher TFSs than males; however, this did not remain significant when nutrition-related beliefs were considered. Increasing age, taking a nutrition/cooking course, teen meal preparation, primary cook, time preparing weekend meals, believing that preparing healthy food is important, and self-reported nutritional quality of diet and nutrition knowledge were positively associated with TFSs (p < 0.05). Purchasing food/beverages from convenience stores, buying pre-prepared dinners, and being a student were negatively associated with TFSs (p < 0.05). The strongest predictors of TFSs were self-reported nutrition knowledge and nutritional quality of diet. The adjusted R2 increased by 0.30 when food-related experiences/behaviours and nutrition-related beliefs were included in the final model, which accounted for 50% of the variance in TFSs. Food experiences/behaviours and nutrition beliefs, which are associated with food skills, are potential intermediary targets for programs and/or research to improve food skills.

Assessment of Food and Cooking Skills: Validation of a Portuguese Version of a Tool and Characterisation of Food and Cooking Skills in Young Adults

Introduction

Food and cooking skills (FCSks) are defined as a complex, interrelated, and person-centred set of skills, necessary to provide and prepare safe, nutritious, and culturally acceptable meals for all members of the household. Recent studies have associated higher FCSk with healthier eating habits and better health. This study aimed to validate a Portuguese version of a tool to assess and describe FCSk in young adults.

Methods

A cross-sectional study used an online anonymous questionnaire that was disseminated to students from three Portuguese Higher Education Institutes. The questionnaire validation included Cronbach alpha and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The Mann-Whitney test was used for evaluating sample differences and Pearson correlation for association among variables.

Results

Internal consistency reliability was 0.89 for cooking skills (CSks) and 0.87 for food skills (FSks). A moderate positive correlation was found between CSks and FSks confidence (r = 0.658, p < 0.01). CFA presented a good adjustment model for most of the fit indices, indicating the adequacy of the questionnaire. The CSks score was 74.1 ± 21.2 (moderate) and the food Skills was 94.2 ± 20.8 (high). Cook pulses, steaming food, and planning meals ahead scored the lowest value, while boiling or simmering food, chopping, peeling vegetables, and reading the best-before date scored the highest value. No difference was found among sex (p CSk = 0.576; p FSk = 0.158), age (p CSk = 0.566; p FSk = 0.130), body mass index classes (p CSk = 0.903; p FSk = 0.320), or course (p CSk = 0.169; p FSk = 0.126). The greatest interest in gastronomy and frequency of meal preparation is associated with higher FCSk (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

This research validated a Portuguese version of a tool to assess FCSk among young adults. Internal consistency reliability was adequate. Confirmatory factor analysis returned good psychometric properties for the questionnaire. Authors identified lower FCSk competencies in cooking pulses and vegetables, which are healthy and sustainable foods. This may compromise the adoption of healthy eating behaviours, so promoting FCSk in young adults may pose a strategy for nutrition and public health in reducing diet-related diseases. This tool may be used to identify opportunities for intervention in public health nutrition.

Canadian Registered Dietitians' Utilization of the 2018 Diabetes Canada Nutrition Therapy Clinical Practice Guidelines: A Cross-sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

Our aim in this work was to ascertain Canadian registered dietitians' (RDs) use of the 2018 Diabetes Canada nutrition therapy (NT) recommendations and to identify the degree of agreement with facilitator-to-use statements.

METHODS

A national 28-item anonymous cross-sectional survey of RDs who counsel people with diabetes was conducted.

RESULTS

Three hundred sixty RDs responded to the survey, but some questions had fewer responses. Mean age of respondents was 36.8±10.1 years and 51.3% were certified diabetes educators (CDEs). Energy/macronutrient recommendations used most were regular timing/spacing of meals (85%), 30 to 50 g/day dietary fibre intake (71%), and maintaining a low glycemic index (65%). Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary patterns had similar utilization rates as macronutrient distribution ranges, at 50% to 60%. Specific food recommendations were used most often, with the emphasis on fruits/vegetables and whole grains at 92% and 86%, respectively. Of the special considerations for people on insulin, regular meals/meal spacing was the recommendation used most often (88%). The statements "I trust the content …" and "I understand the scientific basis …" of the NT chapter were the internal facilitators most agreed with, at 86% each. The least agreed upon external facilitators were "my workplace encourages me to use the NT chapter," at 54%, and "I learned about the NT chapter in my formal education," at 44%. CDEs had significantly higher agreement on 12 of the 21 facilitator statements compared with non-CDEs.

CONCLUSIONS

Canadian RDs are utilizing the NT guidelines, including the new dietary patterns. Simple, easy-to-implement recommendations, such as specific foods and timing/spacing of meals, were used most frequently. Opportunities for increased use could include encouraging dietetic training programs and worksites to promote utilization of CPGs in practice.

Creating Teams of Family Medicine Residents and High School Culinary Students Reduces Some Barriers to Implementing a Culinary Medicine Hands-On Workshop

Background

Barriers to implementation of culinary medicine in resident training include lack of facilities, administrative support, and community engagement.

Activity

Twenty-five family medicine residents were teamed with 17 high school culinary arts students to prepare recipes aligned with the Mediterranean diet (MED) and the USDA low, moderate, and liberal cost food plans.

Results

The workshop took place in the high school teaching kitchens. A pre-survey informed the planning committee's design of a 4-h hands-on workshop that was considered a success.

Discussion

Post-surveys documented improved resident confidence and skills in recommending MED to their patients and interaction with their own peers and high school students, as well as enjoyment by all participants of this hands-on approach.

Associations Between Food Skills and Resilience in Adults Ages 18 to 45 in the USA During the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020 April-June): A Brief Report

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, there were limited options for eating away from home, obligating many US adults to prepare foods at home, a situation that provided an opportunity to examine relationships between food skills, resilience, and coping in the initial months of the pandemic. This research surveyed a convenience sample of adults (n = 134; 18-45 years of age) from the Phoenix Metropolitan area when a "stay at home" pandemic directive was mandated in the state of AZ. The study objective was to explore how food skills correlated to resilience and whether resilience directly related to the ability to manage oneself during this time. Previously validated measures for food skills and resiliency were utilized for the online questionnaire, which also included the question, "I was able to manage myself during the Coronavirus Pandemic." The Spearman's rank order correlation test and a linear, stepwise regression analysis were used to examine relationships between scores. Participants scored at the 77% percentile for total food skill proficiency, and at the 84th percentile for resilience. Both total food skills and resilience were correlated to the ability to self-manage during COVID-19 (r = 0.246 and r = 0.444, respectively; p ≤ 0.004). The stepwise linear regression model retained only the food skill domain "food selection and planning" as a significant predictor of resilience (standardized coefficient, 0.278; 99% CI [- 0.056, 0.414]; p < 0.05). These data suggest that resilience and food skills factored into participants' ability to self-manage during the COVID-19 mandate, "stay at home."

A Proposed Conceptual Sport Nutrition Approach for Athlete Development and Assessment: The Athlete Nutrition Development Approach

Appropriate dietary intake can improve athletes' health and sport performance and is a direct result of eating behaviours. Therefore, assessing and shaping athletes' eating behaviours and dietary intake is critical to the provision of sport nutrition services. As such, nutrition practitioners must also consider the determinants of eating behaviours. However, dietary intake, eating behaviours, and its determinants are inconsistently defined in the literature, requiring nutrition practitioners to navigate a complicated landscape of concepts and terminology. This is further complicated by limitations in practically measuring and influencing eating behaviours and dietary intake. The proposed Athlete Nutrition Development Approach was developed to aid practitioners in servicing decisions through the athlete development process, through a three-tiered approach to sport nutrition service delivery. Tier 1 addresses the determinants of eating behaviours, Tier 2 directly addresses eating behaviours and dietary intake, and Tier 3 addresses the consequences of dietary intake in relation to health and sport performance. Each tier includes tools for assessment and development.

Ecuadorian university English teachers' reflections on emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 struck at the beginning of 2020, affecting, among others, the education industry. As a result, a lock-down quarantine was declared, and on-campus classes were suspended. Accordingly, emergency remote teaching (ERT) was set into motion to solve the education issue. This research aimed to obtain the reflections of 20 Ecuadorian polytechnic university English teachers on their experiences using ERT during two semesters. This paper is based on an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design that used a Likert-scale survey and interviews to respond to the established research questions. The findings show that, in a general sense, teachers were not ready for the sudden shift to ERT, which generated feelings of anxiety. The most significant disadvantage reported was the extra workload caused by adapting materials and giving feedback to students. The study suggests that changing classes from on-campus to ERT was not easy to carry out at the beginning of the pandemic. There are practical implications for language department managers as it gives them light to prepare for the continuing pandemic and any other crisis that might require ERT to be in practice again.

Development of Reliable and Valid Questions to Assess Food Resource Management Behaviors in Adults With Limited Income

OBJECTIVE

Develop reliable, valid questions to assess changes in food resource management (FRM) behaviors in adults with limited incomes.

DESIGN

Questionnaire development using a mixed-methods approach: content validity (subject matter and curricula), face validity, temporal reliability (test-retest), sensitivity to change, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA).

SETTING

Community settings in 12 states.

PARTICIPANTS

Convenience samples of English-speaking Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) or EFNEP-eligible adults: 105 (cognitive interviews), 181 (test-retest), 185 (sensitivity), and 389 (EFA) adults.

VARIABLES MEASURED

Behaviors related to FRM skills: planning, shopping, and budgeting.

ANALYSIS

Consistency and agreement in cognitive interviews and temporal reliability; sensitivity at posttest (paired t tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests); internal consistency of scales identified in EFA (Cronbach α). P < 0.5.

RESULTS

All questions had acceptable temporal reliability ranges for the intraclass correlation coefficient (0.48-0.74) and Spearman rank-order correlation (0.48-0.73). All questions were sensitive to change at posttest (P < 0.001). Planning and saving scales, revealed by EFA, demonstrated internal consistency (> 0.80 Cronbach α).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The 9 FRM behavior questions have acceptable temporal reliability and content and face validity and can be used nationally by EFNEP to assess participants' self-reported behavior changes. Other nutrition programs with similar audiences and content could use these questions to measure changes in FRM behaviors.

Development and Validation of a New Home Cooking Frequency Questionnaire: A Pilot Study

Home cooking and the type of cooking techniques can have an effect on our health. However, as far as we know, there is no questionnaire that measures in depth the frequency and type of cooking techniques used at home. Our aim was to design a new Home Cooking Frequency Questionnaire (HCFQ) and to preliminarily assess its psychometric properties. For this purpose we used a five-phase approach, as follows: Phase 1: item generation based on expert opinion, relevant literature and previous surveys; Phase 2: content validity assessed by experts for relevance and clarity (epidemiologists, dietitians, chefs); Phase 3: face validity and inter-item reliability; Phase 4: criterion validity using a 7-day food and culinary record; and Phase 5: test stability and inter-item reliability. The content validity index for scale and item level values provided evidence of the content validity for relevance and clarity. Criterion validity analysis showed intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.31−0.69. Test−retest reliability coefficients ranged from 0.49−0.92, with ƙ values > 0.44. Overall Cronbach’s alpha was 0.90. In conclusion, the HCFQ is a promising tool with sound content and face validity, substantial criterion validity, and adequate reliability. This 174-item HCFQ is the first questionnaire to assess how often people cook and which cooking methods they use at home.

A green supplier selection framework in polyethylene industry

Purpose

To outsource part of their work, organizations are looking for suppliers who also have green criteria with other criteria. Selecting suppliers begins with the definition of potential suppliers and then selects the best among them. This study aims to present a two-part approach for selecting suppliers consisting of suppliers’ prioritization.

Design/methodology/approach

In the first part, the criteria that influence on selecting the suppliers have been identified and extracted using the literature review and experts’ opinion which consists of 19 criteria. Then, these criteria were evaluated by the content validity ratio index and using experts’ opinions, and finally, 16 criteria were selected for selecting green suppliers in a polyethylene’s products producer company in Iran. In the next step, suppliers are selected in a green supply chain using multi-criteria decision-making methods such as Dempster–Shafer theory and grey relationship analysis, which is a strategic decision.

Findings

This study attempts to improve the level of reliance on the whole uncertain degree by combining Dempster–Shafer theory and grey relational analysis (GRA), which makes the grey analysis method more robust and its results more reliable. The findings show that Supplier 4 is ranked as first within six suppliers.

Originality/value

Using GRA and Dempster–Shafer theory for green supplier selection problem in polyethylene industry is the novelty of this work.

Price sensitivity testing as a basic tool for strategic pricing decisions

Background: Data-driven decisions in each functional area of management, through all of the strategic levels, in the present time of dynamic changes in geopolitical and market conditions are necessary to achieve corporate (economic and social) goals, in line with securing future business success and sustainability. Because of this business need, we will focus in our research paper on price management, which can be seen as a supportive tool for strategic decisions, where competent decisions should be based on data-driven pricing decisions. Purpose: The aim of the research study is to identify what price consumers are prepared to pay for a new food product in a relatively saturated foreign market. The research study was conducted in the milk chocolate bar market segment. Study design: We applied the van Westendorp price sensitivity test to identify the range of acceptable prices for a product that is willing to enter a new foreign market. For this purpose, we used a milk chocolate bar product currently unknown in the Slovak market. Findings: In addition to the van Westendorp price sensitivity measurement, we used a non-parametric Mann Whitney U test to confirm the hypothesis that chocolate tasting will increase the likelihood of customers to pay a higher price for the tested product. The hypothesis mentioned above was statistically confirmed. Limitations: It is necessary to monitor customer reactions to a given price level and be prepared to optimize it. We did not address this part of the analysis in identifying a price that would be acceptable to consumers in terms of value perception, due to the scope of the study.

Ecuadorian university English teachers' reflections on emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 appeared at the beginning of 2020, affecting, among others, the education industry. As a result, a lock-down quarantine was declared, and on-campus classes were suspended. Accordingly, emergency remote teaching (ERT) was set into motion to solve the education issue. This investigation surveyed 20 Ecuadorian polytechnic university English teachers and obtained their reflections on their experience with ERT. This paper bases on mixed-methods research that used a Likert-scaled survey and interviews to respond to the established research questions. The results show that, in a general sense, teachers were not ready for the sudden shift to ERT, which generated feelings of anxiety. The most significant disadvantage reported was the extra workload caused by adapting materials and giving feedback to students. COVID-19 struck at the beginning of 2020, affecting, among others, the education industry. As a result, a lockdown quarantine was declared, and on-campus classes were suspended. Accordingly, emergency remote teaching (ERT) was set into motion to solve the education issue. This research aimed to obtain the reflections of 20 Ecuadorian polytechnic university English teachers on their experiences using ERT during two semesters. This paper is based on an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design that used a Likert-scale survey and interviews to respond to the established research questions. In a general sense, the findings show that teachers were not ready for the sudden shift to ERT at the beginning of the pandemic, which generated feelings of anxiety. The most significant disadvantage reported was the extra workload caused by adapting materials and giving feedback to students. The study suggests that changing classes from on-campus to emergency remote teaching was not easy to carry out at the beginning of the pandemic. There are practical implications for language department managers as it gives them light to prepare for the continuing pandemic and any other crisis that might require ERT to be in practice again.

The Validation and Improvement of a Food Literacy Behavior Checklist for Food Literacy Programs

Food literacy is a multidimensional construct required to achieve diet quality. The Food Sensations^® for Adults (FSA) program aims to improve the food literacy of low to middle-income adults living in Western Australia and is funded by the Western Australian Department of Health. The original published behavior checklist used to measure change in food literacy has been revised based on experience of the facilitators and the iterative development of the program. This research sought to assess the validity and reliability of the improved food literacy behavior checklist. A total of 1,359 participants completed the checklist over an 18-month period. Content, face, and construct validity were considered in the re-development of the checklist. An exploratory factor analysis of the checklist identified three factors: (1) Plan and Manage, (2) Selection, and (3) Preparation. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.883, 0.760, and 0.868 were found for each of the three factors respectively. These coefficients indicated good internal consistency and were higher than those found in the original checklist analysis. An external validation was undertaken with the original food literacy behavior checklist, and a strong positive relationship between the two tools was found. In addition to being used to evaluate FSA, this revised and extensively validated tool could provide guidance to others evaluating similar food literacy programs and contribute to international measurement research.

The impacts of COVID-19 on older adults' active transportation mode usage in Isfahan, Iran

Aims

Since active mobility is essential for older adults' health and well-being, especially in crises, this study aims to investigate and compare factors affecting active mode choice of older adults (AMCOA) in the pre- and post-COVID-19 outbreak and evaluate changes in their active mobility behavior and no research has been conducted this subject.

Methodology

The sample study of this cross-sectional study includes individuals over 60 years old residing in Isfahan, Iran. For interviews based on a structured questionnaire, which was drafted based on reviewing the literature, 453 participants were randomly selected in 15 municipality districts of Isfahan. A binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the data.

Result and Discussion

The results indicate that in the post-outbreak the average walking duration per week decreased from 59 to 29 min; while, the share of this mode has increased from 40% to 65%. Also, the share of bicycles and the average cycling duration per week increased from 9% to 18% and from 9 to 15 min, respectively. Moreover, trip frequency, bicycle ownership, quality of walking and cycling routes, intersections safety, neighborhood security and greenery, traffic calming, CBD accommodation, and public transportation accessibility have positive effects on AMCOA; while, trip distance and vehicle ownership affect negatively. The results reveal that older adults have turned to the bicycle for most of their long trips during the pandemic because it is not subjected to traffic restrictions. Besides, the findings show that increasing bicycle ownership and improving bike-sharing infrastructure make the bicycle a resilient alternative when public transportation and private vehicles are not efficient.

Conclusion

Policymakers and urban planners should consider that an elderly-friendly neighborhood with mixed, dense, and accessible land uses and services, as well as safe and secure routes can increase older adults' active mobility in the crises.

Aims

Since active mobility is essential for older adults' health and well-being, especially in crises, this study aims to investigate and compare factors affecting active mode choice of older adults (AMCOA) before and during the first wave of COVID-19 outbreak and evaluate changes in their active mobility behavior and no research has been conducted this subject.

Brazilian Cooking Skills Questionnaire evaluation of using/cooking and consumption of fruits and vegetables

OBJECTIVE

Young adults are often faced with barriers to cooking their own food. These barriers are associated with poor diet. The aim of this study was to explore the factor structure of the Brazilian Cooking Skills and Healthy Eating Questionnaire (BCSQ) to identify the barriers to cooking, use, and consumption of fruits and vegetables by young adults.

METHODS

Data were collected from a baseline study with Brazilian university students (N = 767). Forty-eight items from the BCSQ (composed of the following scales: Cooking Attitude, Cooking Behavior, Produce Consumption Self-Efficacy, Cooking Self-Efficacy, Self-Efficacy in Using Cooking Techniques, and Self-Efficacy in Using Fruits, Vegetables, and Seasonings) were submitted to exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (ten fit indexes), and internal consistency reliability evaluation. Multilevel linear regression models were used to analyze variations on the BCSQ dimensions by sex, living arrangements, knowledge of how to cook, location of main meal, and time available for cooking.

RESULTS

The 20-item BCSQ showed good fit indexes. The items based on negative cooking attitudes, frequency of using leftovers, and self-efficacy related to cooking from scratch, using and eating fruits and vegetables were adequate for the evaluation of cooking skills. These items represent and reflect the health dimensions applied to this research. The self-efficacy in using cooking techniques, which was not validated in previous study scale, was excluded due to its dimension.

CONCLUSIONS

These results enabled us to shorten the BCSQ, which can be used to evaluate the barriers to cooking among young adults, as well as measuring their healthy eating practices, supporting future research and programs.

“We should at least have basic survival skills, right?”: young males support mandatory food skills education

Purpose

This study explored young males' suggestions for food skills education in three domains: food selection and planning, food preparation and food safety and storage. It also solicited young males' perspectives on mandatory food skills education.

Design/methodology/approach

This descriptive qualitative study employed a semi-structured interview guide. A one-page list of food skills was provided to each participant to form a consistent basis for the interviews. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method.

Findings

Forty-four young men aged 17 to 35 participated in the study. Thirty-seven supported mandatory education for food skills. Gender stereotypes around food skills were identified as a barrier to young males enrolling in elective food skills courses. When asked how food skills should be taught, the two main strategies mentioned were “online” and “hands-on.” Most participants identified skills in the food preparation domain as essential to include in the curriculum, although some recognized the importance of incorporating skills from all three domains.

Practical implications

Understanding important characteristics of effective food skills education for young males may increase their participation in school, virtual and community-based food skills education. Curricular content should consider young males' interests and baseline competencies and emphasize practical hands-on skills. Mandatory food skills education in secondary schools for all genders represents a comprehensive solution.

Originality/value

This study is among the first to report young males' opinions on crucial components of, and methods for, effective food skills education for this population.

Systematic review of instruments for assessing culinary skills in adults: What is the quality of their psychometric properties?

BACKGROUND

Culinary skills are important objects of study in the field of Public Health. Studies that propose to develop instruments for assessing such construct show lack of methodological uniformity to report validity and reliability of their instruments.

OBJECTIVE

To identify studies that have developed instruments to measure culinary skills in adult population, and critically assess their psychometric properties.

DESIGN

We conducted a systematic review according to the PRISMA statement. We searched literature PubMed/Medline, Scopus, LILACS, and Web of Science databases until January 2021, and consulted Google Scholar for relevant grey literature. Two reviewers independently selected the studies, conducted data extraction, and assessed the psychometric quality of the instruments. A third reviewer resolved any doubts or disagreements in all steps of the systematic review.

RESULTS

The search identified 1148 potentially relevant studies, out of which 9 met the inclusion criteria. In addition, we included 3 studies by searching the related articles and the reference lists of these studies, totaling 12 included studies in this review. Ten studies reported the development of tools measuring culinary skills in adults and 2 studies performed cross-cultural adaptations of original instruments. We considered adequate quality of internal consistency reliability in four studies. One study received adequate rating for test-retest reliability. No studies presented adequate rating for content validity and four studies showed satisfactory results for at least one type of construct validity. One study reported criterion validity and the quality of this psychometric property was inadequate.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified many studies that surveyed culinary skills. Although the isolated measures appraised in this review show good promise in terms of quality of psychometric properties, no studies presented adequate measures for each aspect of reliability and validity. A more consistent and consensual definition of culinary skills is recommended. The flaws observed in these studies show that there is a need for ongoing research in the area of the psychometric properties of instruments assessing culinary skills.

Examining the associations between perceived built environment and active travel, before and after the COVID-19 outbreak in Shiraz city, Iran

This study aims to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and policies to control the outbreak such as quarantine, jobs closures, and traffic restrictions on active travel of Central Businesses District (CBD) residents in comparison with the non-CBD residents of Shiraz, Iran; and examine the relationship between perceived built environment factors and active travel in the pre- and post-outbreak. The results indicate that the most effective individuals factors on active travel are bicycle and car ownership, and built environment characteristics are walkability, bikeability, security, aesthetics, traffic calming, intersections safety, land uses diversity and density, destination accessibility, street pattern, and bike-sharing infrastructures. Also, the average walking and cycling time of the CBD residents before and after the outbreak is more than that of the non-CBD residents, which is due to the quality of built environment factors in the CBD. A built environment with mixed, diverse, dense and accessible land uses, as well as safe and secure cycling and walking routes have major effects on active travel in the crisis. Hence, it is suggested that policymakers take action to make the environment more people-friendly to maintain citizens' mobility in the critical situation, when many travel modes have lost their efficiency.

"My Roommates Would Laugh at me": Young Males Reveal Embarrassment over Lack of Food Skills

Purpose: This descriptive qualitative study explored young males' perceptions of food skills in 3 domains: food selection and planning, food preparation, and food safety and storage.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method.Results: Forty-four young men (aged 17-35) reported varying levels of food skills, from little/no confidence to very confident and skilled. Most participants learned food skills from their mothers. Greater involvement in food selection and planning at a young age appeared to be related to parental influence and encouragement, exposure to food skills at school, and interest in food-related activities, which, in turn, provided a solid foundation for being confident cooks as young adults. Most notable was the lack of knowledge about, or confidence in, food safety and storage. Young men with low self-perceived food skills were deeply embarrassed about this deficiency in front of peers who had higher levels of confidence and skills.Conclusions: Future interventions or curricula should emphasize food safety and storage. This research also illustrates the importance of the home environment in teaching food skills to youth and ensuring that food skills are taught well before young adults begin living independently.

Validity of a Modified Food and Nutrition Literacy (M-FNLIT) Questionnaire in Primary School Children in Iran

The present study aimed to assess the relative validity and reliability of a modified Food and Nutrition Literacy (M-FNLIT) questionnaire in primary school children in the city of Mashhad. The study was conducted in four phases. In the first step, the content and face validity of the questionnaire was evaluated by Delphi consensus as well as interviewing the students. Then, construct validity was examined using Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA). The internal consistency and reliability of the questionnaire were also assessed using Cronbach α and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), respectively. Finally, a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to detect the cut-off scores of the M-FNLIT scale. Findings of two rounds of Delphi showed satisfactory levels of Content Validity Ratio (CVR): 0.72 and 0.92, Content Validity Index (CVI): 0.92 and 0.98, respectively. The results of CFA for domains and subscales of M-FNLIT questionnaire including cognitive domain (understanding food and nutrition information and nutritional health knowledge) and skill domain (functional, food choice, interactive, and critical skills) indicated acceptable fit indices. M-FNLIT subscale-specific Cronbach α values ranged between 0.68 to 0.8 and ICC was 0.95 (CI: 0.93-96). The Final questionnaire included 40 items (36 Likert-type and 4 true-false items). FNLIT scores were categorized as low (≤58), medium (>58-<81), and high (≥81). The M-FNLIT questionnaire has a good level of validity and reliability to measure food and nutrition literacy in primary school children. The questionnaire can be applied in the evaluation of nutritional interventions in this age group.

Development and Validation of a Food Literacy Assessment Tool for Community-Dwelling Elderly People

Food literacy refers to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for individuals to choose foods that promote health. As the rate of diet-related diseases increases, food literacy is becoming more important. However, there are no tools available to evaluate food literacy among the Korean elderly. We derived 547 questions from a literature review and, after three rounds of Delphi surveys, selected 33 preliminary questions. We calculated the content validity ratio of the questions and applied a face validity procedure. We then selected 32 questions, assessed their validity, and distributed them as a questionnaire to 205 elderly people. We then conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to determine the validity of the questionnaire and used an internal consistency index (Cronbach’s α coefficient) to determine reliability. Based on the factor analysis, 13 questions were selected, distributed among three factors, and evaluated using the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett sphericity tests. The factor analysis showed that KMO was 0.872, which is a highly acceptable score, and the Bartlett sphericity test was χ² = 1,374.69 at p = 0.00. The food literacy questionnaire developed in this study will likely be helpful for improving the healthcare of elderly people.

Using the Food Skills Questionnaire (FSQ) to Evaluate a Cooking Intervention for University Students: A Pilot Study

Purpose: To pilot test the Food Skills Questionnaire (FSQ) to evaluate a cooking intervention.Methods: Students attending Western University were invited to participate in 3 cooking classes over a 3-month period. All participants were asked to complete the FSQ pre- and post-intervention. The FSQ evaluated food skills in 3 domains-Food Selection and Planning, Food Preparation, and Food Safety and Storage-with a maximum score of 100 per domain. Domain scores were then computed as a weighted average for the Total Food Skills Score out of 100. Open-ended questions assessed participants' perceptions of the classes.Results: Forty-four students participated. There was a significant increase in food planning (70.6 ± 13.5-77.6 ± 14.3, P < 0.01), food preparation (67.5 ± 14.0-74.9 ± 12.9, P < 0.01), food safety (78.0 ± 9.9-80.8 ± 13.0, P = 0.04), and total food skills (71.9 ± 8.9-77.8 ± 10.6, P < 0.01) post-intervention. Content analysis of open-ended questions indicated that participants enjoyed healthy recipes, supportive Peer Educators, discussions, the cooking experience, socializing, and the safe environment.Conclusions: The FSQ shows strong potential for evaluating basic (e.g., peeling, chopping, slicing) to intermediate (e.g., meal planning) food skills in an effective and feasible manner. It can also capture changes in specific domains, allowing the development of more focused nutrition education and skills-based interventions.

Food Skills and Their Relationship with Food Security and Dietary Diversity Among Asylum Seekers Living in Norway

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of food skills on food security and dietary diversity among asylum seekers living in Norwegian reception centers.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Eight asylum reception centers.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 205 asylum seekers (131 men and 74 women) recruited through convenience sampling.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Food skills were measured using questions from the Canadian Rapid Response on Food Skills and divided into cooking skills and shopping skills. Food security was measured with the 10-item version of the Radimer/Cornell Scale. The dietary diversity score was based on a 24-h recall.

ANALYSIS

Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Cooking skills were associated with adequate dietary diversity (adjusted odds ratio, 2.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-4.31), but not with adult food insecurity (adjusted odds ratio. 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-1.53). Shopping skills were not associated with either measure of dietary diversity or adult food insecurity. Women had higher cooking skills than men, but there were no gender differences in shopping skills.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Food skills had a limited association with food security and dietary diversity. Further research is needed to identify food skills beneficial for asylum seekers and to address the multiple causes of food insecurity.