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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Dec 7:11:1258434.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1258434. eCollection 2023.

Feasibility pilot study of a Japanese teaching kitchen program

Megu Y Baden  1   2 , Sarasa Kato  1 , Akiko Niki  1 , Tomoyuki Hara  1 , Harutoshi Ozawa  1   2 , Chisaki Ishibashi  1 , Yoshiya Hosokawa  1 , Yukari Fujita  1 , Yuya Fujishima  1 , Hitoshi Nishizawa  1 , Junji Kozawa  1   3 , Isao Muraki  4 , Yusuke Furuya  5 , Akio Yonekura  5 , Tatsuro Shigyo  6 , Taro Kawabe  6 , Iichiro Shimomura  1 , David M Eisenberg  7
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Feasibility pilot study of a Japanese teaching kitchen program

Megu Y Baden et al. Front Public Health. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: This pilot study examined the feasibility of a new lifestyle modification program involving a "Teaching Kitchen" in Japan. Our goal was to explore (1) feasibility of the program; (2) acceptability for class frequency (weekly vs. bi-weekly); and (3) changes in biometrics, dietary intakes, and lifestyle factors.

Methods: A total of 24 employees with obesity in a Japanese company were recruited. Participants were randomly divided into two groups (weekly or bi-weekly group), each attending the program consisting of four two-hour classes (lectures on nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, and culinary instructions). Participants were observed for changes in dietary intakes, biometrics, and health related quality of life over the subsequent 3 months. We tested the between-group differences in changes using linear mixed-effect models.

Results: The program completion rates were 83.3% in total (91.7% for weekly group and 75.0% for bi-weekly group). From baseline to post-intervention, significant decreases were observed in weight (p < 0.001), body mass index (p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.03), body fat mass (p < 0.001), and dietary intakes in total fat (p = 0.03) and sodium (p = 0.008) among 17 participants who were available for measurements. Improvements in biometrics remained significant 1 month after the intervention (all p ≤ 0.03 in 14 participants). Participants' health related quality of life was significantly improved in bodily pain, general health, vitality, and mental component score (all p ≤ 0.047).

Conclusions: The new Japanese Teaching Kitchen program is feasible with high program completion rates in Japanese office workers with obesity. While this was a small feasibility study, significant multiple improvements in dietary intakes, biometrics, and health related quality of life suggest that this line of inquiry warrants further exploration to address obesity and obesity-related diseases in Japan.

Keywords: behavior modification program; diet; lifestyle modification; obesity; teaching kitchen.

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Conflict of interest statement

MB and HO are members of the Department of Lifestyle Medicine, a sponsored course endowed by Kubara Honke Group Co., Ltd. YusF and AY were employed by the Cancerscan, Inc, Tokyo, Japan. TS and TK were employed by Kubara Honke Group Co., Ltd, Fukuoka, Japan. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The overview of the web application.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The timeline of assessments.
Figure 3
Figure 3
A flow diagram with the recruitment, randomization, intervention, and follow-up.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Comparisons of obesity-related eating behaviors between baseline and post-intervention (na = 16). The baseline and post-intervention differences were tested using linear mixed effect models. an = 16 instead of 17 because of the missing value. *indicates p < 0.05.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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