Nutrition Professionals’ Cooking Skills and Their Relevance in the Transmission of Health Messages

Abstract

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), or chronic diseases, result from diverse factors like genetics, environment, and behavior, contributing to 41 million deaths annually, per 2023 WHO data. The rising prevalence of NCD strains public health systems and necessitates innovative strategies. Working on modifiable risk factors, such as inadequate diets, is essential. However, limited guidance on cooking methods and practical dietary counseling often hinders effectiveness. This research seeks to explore how nutritionists perceive culinary skills (CSs) and their role in communicating healthy eating messages. This study carries out a qualitative study, using the focus group technique, with students and professionals in nutrition, an area that is little explored. For participant recruitment, institutional emails were sent via the national Professional Order of Nutritionists and Nutrition Association. Snowball sampling was also used to effectively facilitate recruitment. The sessions were recorded in audio and video, and, later, transcribed. Adobe Premiere Pro was used for transcriptions, followed by two checks to ensure accuracy and to note participant reactions. Qualitative data were analyzed using manual coding analysis due to the small number of participants (n = 19). In July 2024, three different focus groups were conducted and the study involved exploring their CS and its relevance for dietary guidance, perceptions of cooking media, and the adequacy of nutrition training. The participants reported having insufficient CS, as they were covered in a very basic way and had little depth during academic training. They highlighted the importance of integrating culinary training into nutrition curricula, emphasizing the need for practical skills to better promote healthy eating. This research underscores the critical role of CS in nutrition practice and the need for improved educational frameworks.