TY - JOUR
T1 - Integration of Theatre Activities in Cooking Workshops Improves Healthy Eating Attitudes Among Ethnically Diverse Adolescents
T2 - A Pilot Study
AU - Winham, Donna M.
AU - Szkupinski Quiroga, Seline
AU - Underiner, Tamara
AU - Etheridge Woodson, Stephani
AU - Todd, Megan A.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Funding for this project was provided in part by a seed grant from the Institute for Humanities Research at Arizona State University.∎
PY - 2014/4
Y1 - 2014/4
N2 - The purpose of this pilot study was to integrate theatre elements into interactive cooking workshops and assess if these experiences prompted attitude and awareness changes with adolescents about healthy eating. Over a 3-week period, 6 interactive cooking workshops were conducted by an artist-in-residence with a group of 21 low-income, predominantly Hispanic, high school sophomores. Social cognitive theory was used as a guide for lessons and outcomes assessment. Students prepared, discussed, and shared food, stories, and experiences about culture, health, and meals. Qualitative focus groups were conducted 4 weeks after the workshop series ended. The theatre-based cooking workshops elicited positive comments in attitudes about healthy eating, nutrition education, and enhanced cooking awareness among ethnically diverse youth. Results from preworkshop and postworkshop self-administered questionnaires showed positive shifts in healthy eating behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes. Qualitative statements supported lifestyle change, specifically by teens stating that they were eating more vegetables, trying new foods, and cooking together. Cooking education using interactive theatre engagement can positively affect high school students' attitudes toward healthful foods, eating, and culture.
AB - The purpose of this pilot study was to integrate theatre elements into interactive cooking workshops and assess if these experiences prompted attitude and awareness changes with adolescents about healthy eating. Over a 3-week period, 6 interactive cooking workshops were conducted by an artist-in-residence with a group of 21 low-income, predominantly Hispanic, high school sophomores. Social cognitive theory was used as a guide for lessons and outcomes assessment. Students prepared, discussed, and shared food, stories, and experiences about culture, health, and meals. Qualitative focus groups were conducted 4 weeks after the workshop series ended. The theatre-based cooking workshops elicited positive comments in attitudes about healthy eating, nutrition education, and enhanced cooking awareness among ethnically diverse youth. Results from preworkshop and postworkshop self-administered questionnaires showed positive shifts in healthy eating behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes. Qualitative statements supported lifestyle change, specifically by teens stating that they were eating more vegetables, trying new foods, and cooking together. Cooking education using interactive theatre engagement can positively affect high school students' attitudes toward healthful foods, eating, and culture.
KW - Hispanics
KW - adolescents
KW - cooking
KW - high school
KW - nutrition education
KW - school nutrition
KW - theatre
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84897801988&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84897801988&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1941406413520323
DO - 10.1177/1941406413520323
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84897801988
SN - 1941-4064
VL - 6
SP - 99
EP - 108
JO - Infant, Child, and Adolescent Nutrition
JF - Infant, Child, and Adolescent Nutrition
IS - 2
ER -