One-Year Weight Loss Following a Remote Culinary Medicine Program: A Bi-Center Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract

Introduction: Health-related culinary intervention, termed culinary medicine (CM), is an innovative evidence-based strategy in the field of nutrition to improve dietary quality and prevent/manage chronic diseases. Long-term effects on dietary intake and obesity using well-designed studies are limited.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of a CM intervention on body weight. Participants were age 25-70 with BMI 27.5-35 kg/m².

Intervention: Dietary counseling and twelve 30-min CM sessions.

Control: Dietary counseling and CM resources. Body weight, nutrition, and health outcomes were measured at 0, 3, 6, and 12 months.

Results: Fifty participants are included in a modified intention to treat analysis. Average intervention group weight loss was: at 3 months, -3.23% (3.52%), net difference -2.52% (CI: -0.48% to -4.56%; p = 0.016); at 6 months, -4.2% (5.24%), net difference -2.98% (CI: -0.36% to -5.60%; p = 0.027); and at 12 months, -4.02% (6.24%), net difference -4.30% (CI: -0.69% to -7.92%; p = 0.021). Intervention group had: fat mass loss at 6 months, 1.86% (1.54%), net difference 1.96% (CI: -3.82% to 0.11%, p = 0.039); Mediterranean diet score improvement at 3 months, 2 points, net difference 1.62 (CI: 0.263 to 2.968; p = 0.020); and calorie consumption decrease at 6 months, 452 cal, net difference -390 (CI: -701.1 to -78.13; p = 0.015).

Conclusions: CM can be an effective strategy to promote weight and body fat loss.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03823469; preregistered on June 30, 2019.