Associations of Caregiver Cooking Skills with Child Dietary Behaviors and Weight Status: Results from the A-CHILD Study

Associations between Cooking at Home and Nutrient and Food Group Intake among Female University Students: A Cross-Sectional Analysis on Living Arrangements

This cross-sectional study examined the association between cooking frequency and nutrient and food group intake among female university students with different living arrangements in Japan. Nutrient and food group intakes were assessed using a validated, brief, self-administered diet history questionnaire. Cooking frequency was measured using a single question on a five-point scale. The questionnaire also asked about living arrangements. Of the 91 respondents, 75 females were analyzed. Regarding cooking frequency, cooking at least 1-2 days a week was classified as cooking, and the "cooking yet living with families" group was compared with the "not cooking and living with families" and "cooking and living alone" groups. Based on the intakes of the "cooking yet living with families" group, the "not cooking and living with families" group consumed more total fat (29.5% energy vs. 33.0% energy, p = 0.010) and fewer cereals (224.8 g/1000 kcal vs. 179.6 g/1000 kcal, p = 0.007), and the "cooking and living alone" group consumed more confectionaries (21.0 g/1000 kcal vs. 34.5 g/1000 kcal, p = 0.023). This study showed that female university students who cook at least once a week and live with their families may have better diet quality than those who do not cook and live with their families and those who cook and live alone.

Food Choice Values and Food Literacy in a Nationwide Sample of Japanese Adults: Associations with Sex, Age, and Body Mass Index

This cross-sectional study of 2231 Japanese adults described food choice values and food literacy in relation to sex, age, and body mass index. We assessed eight food choice values (accessibility, convenience, health/weight control, tradition, sensory appeal, organic, comfort, and safety, using a 25-item scale), as well as food literacy, which was characterized by nutrition knowledge (using a validated 143-item questionnaire), cooking and food skills (using 14- and 19-item scales, respectively), and eight eating behaviors (hunger, food responsiveness, emotional overeating, enjoyment of food, satiety responsiveness, emotional undereating, food fussiness, and slowness in eating, using the 35-item Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire). Females had higher means of all the variables than males, except for food fussiness. Compared to participants aged 19-39 and/or 40-59 years, those aged 60-80 years had low means of some food choice values (accessibility, convenience, sensory appeal, and comfort), nutrition knowledge, and all the food approach behaviors (hunger, food responsiveness, emotional overeating, and enjoyment of food) and high means of other food choice values (tradition, organic, and safety) and slowness in eating. Age was inversely associated with cooking and food skills in males, whereas the opposite was observed in females. The associations with body mass index were generally weak. These findings serve as both a reference and an indication for future research.