Food Agency and Health Habits

High ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption is associated with weight gain, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, all-cause mortality, and type 2 diabetes. "Food agency" refers to an individual's food preparation attitudes and capabilities within a given social and physical food environment. Although there is an association between the ability to prepare certain dishes and higher cooking frequency with lower UPF intake, it is still unclear if cooking and food agency influences UPF consumption due to the lack of research in this area. To date, studies of food agency have not included detailed dietary analyses. This cross-sectional study included 40 adults (73% female, aged 39±15 years, body mass index [BMI] 25.8±4.9 kg/m2) and aimed to determine the relationship between food agency and UPF intake. Food agency scores were calculated using the validated Cooking and Food Provisioning Action Scale (CAFPAS). Cooking behaviors and frequency were also collected. Dietary intake was assessed using three 24-hour dietary recalls with each item categorized by degree of processing using the NOVA classification system. Analyses included one-way ANOVAs between CAFPAS score quartiles [Q] and Pearson correlations between CAFPAS, cooking behaviors, and dietary intake. UPF intake was calculated in percent total calories and percent total grams to account for artificial sweeteners and other low calorie products that may be classified as UPFs. Low food agency was associated with a 14% higher UPF intake (% total calories) compared to high food agency (P=0.03). There were no differences between CAFPAS quartiles and UPF intake in % total grams. When age was divided into three categories, UPF intake was significantly lower in older adults (60+ years) compared to adults aged 19-39 years and 40-59 years by 26.4% and 29.1% respectively (P=0.02). When analyzed using bivariate analysis, lunch (r=-0.482, P=0.002) and dinner (r=-0.385, P=0.014) cooking frequency, frequency of cooking a meal from scratch or fresh ingredients (r=-0.320, P=0.044), and CAFPAS self-efficacy (r= -0.369; P= .019) were negatively correlated with UPF intake (% total kcal). These findings provide support for the possibility of reducing UPF intake through cooking interventions aimed at improving components of food agency such as problem solving, skills to create a meal from what is available, and cooking confidence. Future studies should include a larger, heterogeneous population to provide more insight into dietary differences between levels of food agency and expand the diversity of research in this area.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise

Department dc:contributor.department

Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Barker, Katelyn Ann

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Davy, Brenda M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Lahne, Jacob
• Hedrick, Valisa E.

• ultra-processed food
• NOVA
• CAFPAS
• cooking skills
• food skills
• home food preparation
• diet quality
• home cooking
• adults

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:30137

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/112665