Impacts of A Taste of African Heritage: A Culinary Heritage Cooking Course

Objective: To examine changes in cooking and dietary behaviors and health outcomes following participation in A Taste of African Heritage, a culinary heritage cooking course. Design: One group, pre-post program design, surveys, and physical assessments. Setting: Community centers, churches, health care settings, homes, and housing complexes. Participants: Participants (n = 586, 84% women) were recruited by partner organizations from 2013–2018 across 21 states and the District of Columbia. Intervention(s): A 6-week cooking curriculum that teaches history, nutrition, and cooking techniques to reconnect participants with the vibrant, healthy traditions of the African Diaspora. Main Outcome Measure(s): Weekly frequency of cooking, food group intake, and exercise assessed by surveys, measured weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure. Analysis: Linear and logistic mixed-effects models with random intercepts for participant and teacher, sex and site type as covariates comparing pre-post physical measurements and binary behavioral outcomes, P < 0.0033 for statistical significance after Bonferroni correction. Results: Intake frequencies of fruit, vegetable, and greens and exercise frequency were improved from preprogram to postprogram (all P < 0.0021). Weight, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure were also improved from preprogram to postprogram (all P <0.0001). Conclusions and Implications: Participation in A Taste of African Heritage was associated with positive behavior changes and health outcomes. Integrating cultural heritage and behaviors are positive components to connect participants to healthy old ways or traditions.