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Cooking for Health

Cooking for Health in a Large American Indian Community in the North-Central United States

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03699709
Enrollment
176
Registered
2018-10-09
Start date
2020-02-27
Completion date
2023-11-26
Last updated
2025-03-18

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2

Keywords

diet, cooking skills

Brief summary

Type 2 diabetes is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among American Indians (AIs) in the United States. Although healthy diet is a key component of diabetes management programs, many AIs face barriers to adopting a healthy diet including: difficulty budgeting for food on low-incomes, low literacy and numeracy when purchasing food, and limited cooking skills. The proposed project will evaluate a culturally-targeted healthy foods budgeting, purchasing, and cooking skills intervention aimed at improving the cardio-metabolic health of AIs with type 2 diabetes who live in rural areas.

Detailed description

The research activities proposed in this application address a pressing need in American Indian (AI) communities - the evaluation of a culturally-tailored healthy food budgeting, purchasing, and cooking intervention to see whether it can improve diet and health among AIs with type 2 diabetes. This randomized clinical trial will compare the efficacy of a culturally-tailored healthy food budgeting, purchasing, and cooking program on: (1) diet quality (i.e., intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, processed foods) and (2) healthy food budgeting and cooking skills, among AIs with type 2 diabetes who reside in a large AI community in the north-central United States. Additionally, the investigators will conduct a mixed methods process evaluation to assess intervention reach, fidelity, and participant satisfaction. Curriculum will be tailored to an AI population with diabetes, and directly address major barriers to healthy eating that were identified by community members and tribal leaders in recent focus groups including: (1) difficulty budgeting for food on low-incomes; (2) low literacy and numeracy when purchasing food (e.g., inability to use in-store scales to convert foods priced per pound to dollar values); (3) limited cooking skills. The investigators expect that implementation of a culturally-tailored diet intervention will be effective in promoting positive diet change, and increase healthy food budgeting and cooking skills. Poorly controlled diabetes affects the health/longevity of those afflicted, and has profound effects on healthcare costs. Greater efforts are needed to encourage healthy eating in underserved communities with a high burden of diabetes. Improving healthy food budgeting, purchasing, and cooking skills among AIs with diabetes should improve diet and diabetes management. If successful, this program can be extended to other AI communities.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALBudgeting, purchasing and cooking educational intervention

Receive culturally-tailored healthy food budgeting, purchasing, and cooking skills curriculum

Sponsors

Medstar Health Research Institute
CollaboratorOTHER
Missouri Breaks Industries Research, Inc.
CollaboratorOTHER
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
CollaboratorNIH
University of Washington
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Randomization to one of two arms: intervention or control group

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* American Indian * 18+ years * self-reported type 2 diabetes * reside on reservation where study is being conducted * self-identify as person who holds most of the responsibility for household budgeting, shopping, and cooking

Exclusion criteria

* pregnant * history of bariatric surgery * chronic kidney disease * on dialysis * cognitively impaired * individuals without a reliable place to cook or store food (e.g., homeless)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change (From Baseline) in Self-reported Intake (Servings/Day) of Sugar-sweetened Beverages (Measured Using the Nutrition Assessment Shared Resource Food Frequency Questionnaire) at 6 Months and 12 Monthsmeasured at baseline, and months 6 and 12Sugar-sweetened beverages include self-reported intake of fruit drinks, sugar-based energy drinks, and soda. Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages will be estimated using measures of consumption frequency and portion size. Average intakes will be calculated for each study participant using the University of Minnesota Nutrition Data Systems for Research Software by multiplying the frequency response for each beverage on the food frequency questionnaire by the recalled portion size, and then summing for all relevant beverages. Change from baseline with be assessed at 6 months and 12 months (12 months - baseline; 6 months - baseline). As the intervention hopes to decrease intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, lower (i.e., more negative) after - before differences represent a better outcome.
Change (From Baseline) in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Purchases (Measured Using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey) at 6 Months and 12 Monthsmeasured at baseline, and months 6 and 12Change in healthy and unhealthy food purchases will be estimated using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey. The survey includes a list of 47 healthy and unhealthy foods commonly consumed in the community. At each exam (baseline, month 6, month 12), participants will report the number of times he/she acquired each of the 47 foods in the past 30 days. Change from baseline with be assessed at 6 months and 12 months (12 months - baseline; 6 months - baseline). As the intervention hopes to increase the number of healthy food purchases and decrease the number of unhealthy food purchases, higher after - before differences represent a better outcome for healthy foods and lower after - before differences represent a better outcome for unhealthy foods.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Process Evaluation: Intervention ReachYears 2020-2023The proportion of those approached that were eligible for the intervention (and the number who subsequently participate) will be used as a marker of intervention reach.
Process Evaluation: Intervention Fidelitythrough study completion, estimated 12 months to complete intervention per participantThe investigators will assess adherence to the study protocol and document barriers and facilitators to implementation throughout the trial.
Change (From Baseline) in Food Budgeting Skills (Measured Using the Food Resource Management Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Monthsmeasured at baseline, and months 6 and 12Change in food budgeting skills will be estimated using the Food Resource Management Scale. The scale includes 4 questions related to shopping behaviors to maximize food resources. The Food Resource Management Scale is a Likert-type scale with responses ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (always). Responses to the four questions will be averaged to create a total Food Resource Management Score. Change from baseline with be assessed at 6 months and 12 months (12 months - baseline; 6 months - baseline). As the intervention hopes to increase food budgeting skills, higher after-before differences represent a better outcome.
Process Evaluation: Intervention Dose Delivered (i.e., Number of Lessons Included in the Curriculum Available for Participants)through study completion, estimated 12 months to complete intervention per participantDose will be assessed in the intervention arm only
Process Evaluation: Intervention Dose Received (i.e., Number of Lessons Included in the Curriculum Completed by Participants)through study completion, estimated 12 months to complete intervention per participantDose will be assessed in the intervention arm only
Process Evaluation: Intervention Satisfaction (Among Those in the Intervention Arm)Semi-structured interviews will be done at months 6 and 12.During months 6 and 12, a sub-sample of study participants in the intervention arm will meet with study staff by phone for semi-structured interviews to evaluate the overall intervention. Qualitative analyses will assess participant's satisfaction with the intervention.
Change (From Baseline) in Cooking Skills (Measured Using the Cooking Confidence Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Monthsmeasured at baseline, and months 6 and 12Change in cooking skills will be estimated using a minor modification of the Cooking Confidence Scale. The Cooking Confidence Scale includes 6 questions related to confidence in preparing healthy foods. It is a Likert-type scale with responses ranging from 1 (not at all confident) to 5 (very confident). Responses to the questions will be averaged. Change from baseline with be assessed at 6 months and 12 months (12 months - baseline; 6 months - baseline). As the intervention hopes to increase cooking skills, higher after - before differences represent a better outcome.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Pre-assignment details

No significant events after participant enrollment, but prior to randomization to intervention or control arm.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Intervention Arm
Budgeting, purchasing and cooking educational intervention: Receive culturally-tailored healthy food budgeting, purchasing, and cooking skills curriculum
88
Control Arm
No intervention (all intervention materials were given to participants randomized to the control arm at the end of the study)
88
Total176

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyDeath12
Overall Studyincarcerated10
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up103
Overall Studyscheduled, but no show01
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject50

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicIntervention ArmControl ArmTotal
Age, Continuous51.0 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.9
48.3 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.2
49.7 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.6
Healthy Food Purchases62.4 purchases per 30 days
STANDARD_DEVIATION 56
88.0 purchases per 30 days
STANDARD_DEVIATION 75.2
75.3 purchases per 30 days
STANDARD_DEVIATION 67.4
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
88 Participants88 Participants176 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
69 Participants58 Participants127 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
19 Participants30 Participants49 Participants
Sugar-sweetened beverages1.2 servings per day
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.4
1.1 servings per day
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.6
1.2 servings per day
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2
Unhealthy Food Purchases39.4 purchases per 30 days
STANDARD_DEVIATION 34.7
51.2 purchases per 30 days
STANDARD_DEVIATION 38.2
45.3 purchases per 30 days
STANDARD_DEVIATION 36.8

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
1 / 882 / 88
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 880 / 88
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 880 / 88

Outcome results

Primary

Change (From Baseline) in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Purchases (Measured Using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey) at 6 Months and 12 Months

Change in healthy and unhealthy food purchases will be estimated using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey. The survey includes a list of 47 healthy and unhealthy foods commonly consumed in the community. At each exam (baseline, month 6, month 12), participants will report the number of times he/she acquired each of the 47 foods in the past 30 days. Change from baseline with be assessed at 6 months and 12 months (12 months - baseline; 6 months - baseline). As the intervention hopes to increase the number of healthy food purchases and decrease the number of unhealthy food purchases, higher after - before differences represent a better outcome for healthy foods and lower after - before differences represent a better outcome for unhealthy foods.

Time frame: measured at baseline, and months 6 and 12

Population: Participants who completed the healthy and unhealthy food purchases questionnaire at the baseline and month 6 exam or the baseline and month 12 exam

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Intervention ArmChange (From Baseline) in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Purchases (Measured Using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey) at 6 Months and 12 Months12 months-baseline, unhealthy food purchases-7.4 purchases per 30 daysStandard Error 3.3
Intervention ArmChange (From Baseline) in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Purchases (Measured Using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey) at 6 Months and 12 Months6 months-baseline, unhealthy food purchases-6.42 purchases per 30 daysStandard Error 4.92
Intervention ArmChange (From Baseline) in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Purchases (Measured Using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey) at 6 Months and 12 Months12 months-baseline, healthy food purchases7.24 purchases per 30 daysStandard Error 4.95
Intervention ArmChange (From Baseline) in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Purchases (Measured Using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey) at 6 Months and 12 Months6 months-baseline, healthy food purchases0.84 purchases per 30 daysStandard Error 6.3
Control ArmChange (From Baseline) in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Purchases (Measured Using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey) at 6 Months and 12 Months6 months-baseline, healthy food purchases-10.5 purchases per 30 daysStandard Error 0.84
Control ArmChange (From Baseline) in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Purchases (Measured Using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey) at 6 Months and 12 Months12 months-baseline, unhealthy food purchases-10.1 purchases per 30 daysStandard Error 3.7
Control ArmChange (From Baseline) in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Purchases (Measured Using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey) at 6 Months and 12 Months12 months-baseline, healthy food purchases-16.3 purchases per 30 daysStandard Error 8.56
Control ArmChange (From Baseline) in Healthy and Unhealthy Food Purchases (Measured Using the Healthy/Unhealthy Food Acquisition Survey) at 6 Months and 12 Months6 months-baseline, unhealthy food purchases-9.91 purchases per 30 daysStandard Error 4.25
Primary

Change (From Baseline) in Self-reported Intake (Servings/Day) of Sugar-sweetened Beverages (Measured Using the Nutrition Assessment Shared Resource Food Frequency Questionnaire) at 6 Months and 12 Months

Sugar-sweetened beverages include self-reported intake of fruit drinks, sugar-based energy drinks, and soda. Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages will be estimated using measures of consumption frequency and portion size. Average intakes will be calculated for each study participant using the University of Minnesota Nutrition Data Systems for Research Software by multiplying the frequency response for each beverage on the food frequency questionnaire by the recalled portion size, and then summing for all relevant beverages. Change from baseline with be assessed at 6 months and 12 months (12 months - baseline; 6 months - baseline). As the intervention hopes to decrease intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, lower (i.e., more negative) after - before differences represent a better outcome.

Time frame: measured at baseline, and months 6 and 12

Population: Participants who completed the food frequency questionnaire at the baseline and month 6 exam or the baseline and month 12 exam

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Intervention ArmChange (From Baseline) in Self-reported Intake (Servings/Day) of Sugar-sweetened Beverages (Measured Using the Nutrition Assessment Shared Resource Food Frequency Questionnaire) at 6 Months and 12 Months12 months-baseline-0.13 servingsStandard Error 0.38
Intervention ArmChange (From Baseline) in Self-reported Intake (Servings/Day) of Sugar-sweetened Beverages (Measured Using the Nutrition Assessment Shared Resource Food Frequency Questionnaire) at 6 Months and 12 Months6 months-baseline-0.22 servingsStandard Error 0.23
Control ArmChange (From Baseline) in Self-reported Intake (Servings/Day) of Sugar-sweetened Beverages (Measured Using the Nutrition Assessment Shared Resource Food Frequency Questionnaire) at 6 Months and 12 Months12 months-baseline-0.11 servingsStandard Error 0.28
Control ArmChange (From Baseline) in Self-reported Intake (Servings/Day) of Sugar-sweetened Beverages (Measured Using the Nutrition Assessment Shared Resource Food Frequency Questionnaire) at 6 Months and 12 Months6 months-baseline-0.28 servingsStandard Error 0.21
Secondary

Change (From Baseline) in Cooking Skills (Measured Using the Cooking Confidence Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Months

Change in cooking skills will be estimated using a minor modification of the Cooking Confidence Scale. The Cooking Confidence Scale includes 6 questions related to confidence in preparing healthy foods. It is a Likert-type scale with responses ranging from 1 (not at all confident) to 5 (very confident). Responses to the questions will be averaged. Change from baseline with be assessed at 6 months and 12 months (12 months - baseline; 6 months - baseline). As the intervention hopes to increase cooking skills, higher after - before differences represent a better outcome.

Time frame: measured at baseline, and months 6 and 12

Population: Participants who completed the Cooking Confidence Scale questions at the baseline and month 6 exam or the baseline and month 12 exam

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Intervention ArmChange (From Baseline) in Cooking Skills (Measured Using the Cooking Confidence Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Months12 months-baseline0.16 score on a scaleStandard Error 0.08
Intervention ArmChange (From Baseline) in Cooking Skills (Measured Using the Cooking Confidence Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Months6 months-baseline0.21 score on a scaleStandard Error 0.06
Control ArmChange (From Baseline) in Cooking Skills (Measured Using the Cooking Confidence Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Months12 months-baseline-0.18 score on a scaleStandard Error 0.09
Control ArmChange (From Baseline) in Cooking Skills (Measured Using the Cooking Confidence Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Months6 months-baseline-0.06 score on a scaleStandard Error 0.08
Secondary

Change (From Baseline) in Food Budgeting Skills (Measured Using the Food Resource Management Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Months

Change in food budgeting skills will be estimated using the Food Resource Management Scale. The scale includes 4 questions related to shopping behaviors to maximize food resources. The Food Resource Management Scale is a Likert-type scale with responses ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (always). Responses to the four questions will be averaged to create a total Food Resource Management Score. Change from baseline with be assessed at 6 months and 12 months (12 months - baseline; 6 months - baseline). As the intervention hopes to increase food budgeting skills, higher after-before differences represent a better outcome.

Time frame: measured at baseline, and months 6 and 12

Population: Participants who completed the Food Resource Management questions at the baseline and month 6 exam or the baseline and month 12 exam

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Intervention ArmChange (From Baseline) in Food Budgeting Skills (Measured Using the Food Resource Management Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Months12 months-baseline0.28 score on a scaleStandard Error 0.11
Intervention ArmChange (From Baseline) in Food Budgeting Skills (Measured Using the Food Resource Management Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Months6 months-baseline0.08 score on a scaleStandard Error 0.12
Control ArmChange (From Baseline) in Food Budgeting Skills (Measured Using the Food Resource Management Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Months12 months-baseline-0.08 score on a scaleStandard Error 0.1
Control ArmChange (From Baseline) in Food Budgeting Skills (Measured Using the Food Resource Management Scale) at 6 Months and 12 Months6 months-baseline0.05 score on a scaleStandard Error 0.1
Secondary

Process Evaluation: Intervention Dose Delivered (i.e., Number of Lessons Included in the Curriculum Available for Participants)

Dose will be assessed in the intervention arm only

Time frame: through study completion, estimated 12 months to complete intervention per participant

Secondary

Process Evaluation: Intervention Dose Received (i.e., Number of Lessons Included in the Curriculum Completed by Participants)

Dose will be assessed in the intervention arm only

Time frame: through study completion, estimated 12 months to complete intervention per participant

Secondary

Process Evaluation: Intervention Fidelity

The investigators will assess adherence to the study protocol and document barriers and facilitators to implementation throughout the trial.

Time frame: through study completion, estimated 12 months to complete intervention per participant

Secondary

Process Evaluation: Intervention Reach

The proportion of those approached that were eligible for the intervention (and the number who subsequently participate) will be used as a marker of intervention reach.

Time frame: Years 2020-2023

Secondary

Process Evaluation: Intervention Satisfaction (Among Those in the Intervention Arm)

During months 6 and 12, a sub-sample of study participants in the intervention arm will meet with study staff by phone for semi-structured interviews to evaluate the overall intervention. Qualitative analyses will assess participant's satisfaction with the intervention.

Time frame: Semi-structured interviews will be done at months 6 and 12.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 29, 2026