New research has studied the effects of a seven-week healthy cooking course.

Academics measured the program’s effect on cooking confidence and self-perceived mental health. Researchers also measured participants’ overall satisfaction around cooking and diet-related behaviors. What were the findings? Course participants saw significant improvements in general health. They also reported improved mental health and subjective vitality immediately after the program. These benefits remained six months after the completion of the course.

What caused these improvements? Researchers have previously found the link between eating more fruits and vegetables, and improved longer term mental health. This would imply that the participants in the current study may have felt better due to improved diet.

However, the study showed participants’ mental health improved even if their reported diets did not change after completing the program.

Also, the mental health benefits were equal among participants who were overweight or obese, and those in a healthy weight range. This suggests a link between cooking confidence and satisfaction around cooking, and mental health benefits.

Who benefits most from learning to cook? Gender plays a part. At the start of the program, 77% of female participants were confident about cooking, but just 23% of males were confident. At the end of the program, cooking confidence and skills were equal across both counterparts.

This change in confidence could lead to a gender balance in home cooking. This, in turn, could reduce consumption of unhealthy, high calorie processed meals.

Q19: What do we learn about the benefits the participants gained from the healthy cooking course?
Q20: What do the new research findings suggest about mental health benefits?
Q21: What plays a role in determining who benefits most from learning to cook?