Validation of a Questionnaire to Evaluate the Home Cooking Skills of Nutrition Professionals and the General Population

• Conditions: Cooking

• Registration Number: NCT06687798
• Lead Sponsor: University of Pavia

Brief Summary

The goal of this observational study is to validate the questionnaire HCSQ-ITA in nutrition students and professionals (dieticians, biologists-nutritionists, medical specialists in food science, and experts in gastronomic techniques) or the general population.

The main question it aims to answer is:

- Is the questionnaire to evaluate the cooking skills of nutrition professionals valid? Participants will answer an electronic form questionnaire (HCSQ-ITA) and evaluate its clarity and pertinence.

Detailed Description

Unbalanced food choices are a major determinant of the global disease burden, with one in five deaths worldwide attributable to an inadequate diet. Food patterns characterized by reduced consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, and legumes, along with excessive sodium, red or processed meats, and sugary foods, are associated with a high risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. High adherence to healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean Diet, is associated with a lower risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive decline. However, global populations are gradually reducing their adherence to this dietary pattern, preferring diets rich in saturated fats and animal-derived protein. This phenomenon, known as the nutritional transition, is associated with a concomitant culinary transition, a progressive change in cooking skills required for home-made meals. Improving culinary skills can have a positive impact on food choices and the quality of the diet. Nutrition professionals can play a crucial role in promoting food and nutrition education initiatives and actions, providing practical experiences and suggestions to help change eating habits. The study aims to validate the Primary Health Care Home Cooking Skills Scale, already validated in Brazil; tool for a representative sample of the general population and nutrition professionals in Italy.

The process of validation will include several stages: (1) the validated Brazilian questionnaire will be translated and adapted to the content. After this, the (2) validation of the content will follow Delphi's technique, and then (2) analysis of the validity and (3) reliability of the construction, through the factor analysis.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2024-02
• Study First Submitted: 2024-02-20
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-11-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-11-11
• Study First Posted: 2024-11-14
• Last Update Posted: 2024-11-14
• Study Start: 2025-07-15
• Primary Completion: 2025-12-15
• Study Completion: 2026-03-15

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 290

Inclusion Criteria

• age ≥ 18 years and ≤ 65 years,
• all genres
• signature of informed consent
• nutrition students and professionals (dieticians, biologists-nutritionists, medical specialists in food science and experts in gastronomic techniques)
• general population (non-nutrition professionals)

Exclusion Criteria

• Serious physical and psychiatric illnesses
• Disorders requiring treatment with atypical antipsychotics

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Home cooking skills	6 months	The final score will classify the sample according to the cooking skills with the "Home cooking skills questionnaire - Italian version" (HCSQ-ITA)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Pavia; 🇮🇹 Pavia, Italy