Cooking Skills and Mediterranean Diet Adherence: Societal Insights from the iMC SALT Trial

Carla Gonçalves (), Patrícia Padrão, Olívia Pinho, Tânia Silva-Santos and Pedro Moreira
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Carla Gonçalves: RISE-Health, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Patrícia Padrão: Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), EPIUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal
Olívia Pinho: Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
Tânia Silva-Santos: Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), EPIUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal
Pedro Moreira: Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), EPIUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal

Societies, 2025, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-16

Abstract: Background: Cooking skills represent an important yet often overlooked form of social and cultural capital, influencing dietary quality and health outcomes. As modern societies face growing challenges related to unhealthy eating patterns and a loss of traditional food practices, understanding the societal role of culinary competence becomes critical. This study explored the association between culinary skills, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and nutritional intake. Methods: Baseline data from 111 adults (60 women; mean age 47.6 ± 10.5 years) participating in the iMC SALT randomized controlled trial (Portugal) were analyzed. Culinary skills were assessed using the Cooking Skills Score, while the dietary intake was evaluated with a Food Frequency Questionnaire and adherence to the Mediterranean diet through the alternative Mediterranean Diet (aMED) Score. Food and beverage processing levels were categorized using the NOVA classification, and the sodium/potassium intake was measured via 24 h urinary excretion. Results: Women demonstrated better culinary skills (5.1 ± 0.9 vs. 4.0 ± 1.1, p < 0.001) and greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet (5.1 ± 1.9 vs. 3.8 ± 1.8, p = 0.001) than men. Better culinary skills were associated with younger age, larger households, and increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Culinary skills significantly explained 27.2% of the variance in the Mediterranean diet adherence. Better culinary skills were linked to a greater energy and protein intake; but a lower sodium and potassium intake. Conclusion: These findings highlight culinary skills as a key societal factor shaping dietary behavior and nutritional intake. Promoting culinary education may offer a powerful strategy to address dietary inequalities, support cultural food heritage, and foster healthier, more resilient societies.

Keywords: cooking skills; food literacy; Mediterranean diet; dietary behaviors; cultural heritage; ultra-processed foods; public health; social determinants of health; nutrition education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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