The goal of this quasi-experimental interventional study is to learn if healthy cooking classes for home cooks can improve weight management and dietary quality among Emirati adults with overweight or obesity living in Abu Dhabi. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does participation in the culinary medicine program reduce body weight over time? * Does the intervention improve diet quality and increase compliance with healthy home-cooked meals? * Does the intervention improve health measures such as waist circumference, body fat percentage, blood pressure, and heart rate? * What are the experiences and satisfaction levels of participating family members and trained home cooks? Participants will: * Enroll in a 3-month family-based nutrition intervention program * Receive meals prepared by home cooks trained in culinary medicine through the ICCA program * Complete assessments before the intervention, during the intervention, and 3 months after completion * Undergo measurements including weight, waist circumference, body fat percentage, blood pressure, and heart rate * Complete questionnaires about diet quality, meal habits, and overall program experience
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
250
This intervention consists of a 4-week structured culinary medicine training program delivered by ICCA to designated household home cooks. The training includes theoretical nutrition education and practical cooking sessions focused on healthy meal preparation techniques aimed at reducing chronic disease risk. Following completion of training and certification, home cooks implement these techniques over a 3-month period by preparing and providing healthy home-cooked meals for participating household members. The intervention encourages reduced reliance on ultra-processed and restaurant foods and promotes improved dietary quality, with outcomes assessed through repeated measures of anthropometry, body composition, cardiovascular indicators, and dietary intake.
Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
RECRUITINGWeight Status (Body Weight)
Assessment of participant weight to determine changes associated with the culinary medicine intervention. Weight will be measured using the InBody Dial H30 portable device.
Time frame: Baseline (immediately after home cook certification and before intervention), Mid-intervention (6 weeks), and Post-intervention (3 months after intervention start).
Waist Circumference
Measurement of abdominal adiposity using a smart tape according to WHO protocol.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months.
Body Fat Percentage
Measurement of body fat percentage using the InBody Dial H30 portable device.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months.
Blood Pressure
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured using a Welch Allyn ProBP 2000 device after a standardized resting period.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months.
Heart Rate
Resting heart rate measured using the Welch Allyn ProBP 2000 device.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months.
Compliance with Home-Cooked Meal Consumption
Survey-based assessment of participant adherence to consuming meals prepared by the trained home cook
Time frame: Every week for 3 months
Frequency of home-cooked meal consumption.
Number of home-cooked meals consumed per week, assessed by participant survey.
Time frame: every week for 3 months
Participant Experience and Satisfaction
Survey evaluating participants' overall experience, satisfaction, acceptability, and perceived benefits of the culinary medicine program.
Time frame: End of intervention (3 months).
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