Cooking and Nutrition Education for Obesity

(TKMT Trial)

Not currently recruiting at 4 trial locations

Overseen By David M Eisenberg, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Must not be taking: Obesity, Diabetes medications

Disqualifiers: Type 1/2 diabetes, Severe obesity, others

Stay on Your Current Meds You can continue your current medications while participating

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 24

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores a new program designed to help individuals with obesity improve their health by learning to cook healthy meals, understanding good nutrition, increasing physical activity, and practicing mindfulness. Participants will attend group sessions to acquire skills and knowledge that could lead to healthier habits and changes in weight and lab results. The program uses the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Curriculum, which emphasizes practical cooking and nutrition education. The trial seeks individuals diagnosed with obesity (BMI of 30-39.9) who have certain health markers, such as high cholesterol or blood sugar, and are ready to commit to an 18-month program. Participants must attend both in-person and virtual sessions and have access to basic cooking appliances at home. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research aimed at improving health through lifestyle changes.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial requires that participants not be taking obesity or diabetes medications, except for metformin. If you are on other medications for these conditions, you would need to stop them to participate.

What prior data suggests that this teaching kitchen intervention is safe for participants?

Research has shown that the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Curriculum is generally well-received by participants. In a small initial study, adults with obesity who joined a similar online cooking program found it easy to follow and enjoyable. Importantly, participants in that study showed significant improvements in their LDL cholesterol levels, benefiting heart health. The study reported no negative side effects.

Overall, these findings suggest that the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Curriculum is safe and could help people improve their health through cooking, nutrition education, and lifestyle changes. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Curriculum because it offers a hands-on, educational approach to tackling obesity. Unlike traditional treatments for obesity, which often focus on medication or surgery, this curriculum empowers participants by teaching them practical cooking skills and nutrition education. This approach not only addresses dietary habits but also encourages sustainable lifestyle changes by fostering a supportive community environment. By engaging participants in regular group sessions, the curriculum aims to create long-lasting behavioral changes, potentially leading to more effective weight management over time.

What evidence suggests that this teaching kitchen intervention is effective for obesity prevention?

Research has shown that teaching kitchen programs can help people live healthier lives and combat obesity. In one small study, participants in an online teaching kitchen program improved their lifestyle and health habits. Another study found that these programs can increase knowledge and foster positive attitudes about managing obesity and nutrition. The teaching kitchen approach encourages healthy eating and supports changes like increased exercise and mindfulness. In this trial, participants in the intervention group will experience the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Curriculum, which may improve health by teaching practical skills and promoting long-term lifestyle changes. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Kate Janisch, MPH, RDN

Principal Investigator

HSPH

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

Adults aged 25-70 with class I or II obesity (BMI 30-39.9) and certain metabolic abnormalities, who can commit to an 18-month study including weekly classes for the first four months followed by monthly sessions. Participants must have internet access, a device with a camera, and basic cooking appliances at home.

Inclusion Criteria

English literate

I am able to understand and agree to the study's procedures and risks.

I live on my own without needing help.

Exclusion Criteria

Diet / exercise contraindications to program participation

Psychiatric hospitalization in the past 12 months

Prisoners, pregnant women, and women planning to become pregnant over the next 18 months

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intensive Intervention

Participants gather in a 2-hour group setting once a week for 16 weeks to learn culinary skills, nutrition education, mindfulness, and stress reduction.

16 weeks

16 visits (in-person)

Booster Sessions

Participants attend a 2-hour group session once a month for 8 months to reinforce skills and behaviors learned during the intensive intervention.

8 months

8 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for long-term changes in health behaviors and outcomes 6 months after the final intervention class.

6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Curriculum

Trial Overview The trial is testing a comprehensive program that includes culinary education, nutrition guidance, exercise promotion, stress reduction techniques, mindfulness training, and health coaching strategies to improve lifestyle habits related to obesity prevention over one year.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in the intervention group will gather together in a 2-hour group setting once a week for the first 16 week intensive, then change to a once a month 2-hour gathering for the remaining 8 months of boosters of the intervention. Follow-up will occur 6 months after the final intervention class to assess long-term changes. The total time span of the study will be 18 months.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

The control group follows clinical care in the usual standard (i.e. continuing to receive usual care from one's primary care physician)

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Lead Sponsor

Trials

283

Recruited

17,030,000+

Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, Inc.

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

320+

University of California, Irvine

Collaborator

Trials

580

Recruited

4,943,000+

University of California, Los Angeles

Collaborator

Trials

1,594

Recruited

10,430,000+

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Collaborator

Trials

974

Recruited

361,000+

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Collaborator

Trials

548

Recruited

2,545,000+

The Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, Inc.

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

320+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A 6-week culinary course led by medical students significantly improved participants' adherence to the Mediterranean diet, with a notable increase in overall diet scores among 1381 participants.

Participants showed increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and olive oil, while also developing a more positive attitude towards cooking, indicating that hands-on culinary education can effectively promote healthier eating habits.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Multisite Medical Student-Led Community Culinary Medicine Classes Improve Patients' Diets: Machine Learning-Augmented Propensity Score-Adjusted Fixed Effects Cohort Analysis of 1381 Subjects. Stauber, Z., Razavi, AC., Sarris, L., et al.[2022]

TEACH Kitchen, a student-led initiative at the Medical College of Georgia, aims to improve nutrition education and healthy cooking skills among patients with chronic diseases, addressing a significant gap in healthcare.

The program has enrolled 14 patients and 6 children, focusing on modules related to obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, with the goal of measuring improvements in knowledge and clinical indicators like body mass index and blood pressure.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

TEACH Kitchen: A Chronological Review of Accomplishments. Chae, JH., Ansa, BE., Smith, SA.[2020]

The modified EFNEP curriculum, which included videos and interactive discussions, led to a significant decrease in BMI for the intervention group, highlighting its effectiveness in obesity prevention among participants.

Both the intervention and control groups showed improvements in dietary habits and psychosocial factors, but only the intervention group experienced a notable reduction in BMI, suggesting that the enhanced curriculum may be particularly beneficial for managing weight.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Creating healthful home food environments: results of a study with participants in the expanded food and nutrition education program. Cullen, KW., Lara Smalling, A., Thompson, D., et al.[2021]

Culinary education interventions for children from low-income families are mostly school-based and focus on teaching children cooking skills, which can help improve nutrition and potentially reduce obesity rates.

Only a small number of studies (9 out of 370) met the criteria for inclusion, indicating a need for more comprehensive research and development in culinary education programs, particularly in involving parents and training program leaders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Culinary Education Programs for Children in Low-Income Households: A Scoping Review. Li, PP., Mackey, G., Callender, C., et al.[2020]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12157012/

A Culinary-Based Intensive Lifestyle Program for Patients ... In this pilot study, we demonstrated, in a small convenience sample of adults with obesity, that a virtual intensive teaching kitchen lifestyle ...

2. teachingkitchens.org teachingkitchens.org/teaching-kitchen-collaborative-multisite-trial/

Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Multisite Trial Published in Nutrients in May 2025, this pilot study evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a 16-week virtual teaching ...

3. odphp.health.gov odphp.health.gov/foodismedicine/promising-practices-and-tools/bright-spots/growing-value-teaching-kitchens-promote-healthy-cooking-and-lifestyle-behaviors

Growing the Value of Teaching Kitchens to Promote Healthy ... In addition, TKC also helps members formulate new research ideas, conduct studies, analyze data, and write manuscripts to disseminate the efficacy and outcomes ...

4. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04005495

NCT04005495 | Emory Teaching Kitchen Collaborative The teaching kitchen model is an innovative, multidisciplinary approach for motivating and establishing healthful habits and behaviors.

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10574719/

Impact of a Teaching Kitchen Curriculum for Health ... There was variability in statistically significant improvement in knowledge, attitudes, and practices about obesity management and nutrition ...

6. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04624620

A Culinary-Based Intensive Lifestyle Program for Patients ... The Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Curriculum (TKCC) survey is an investigator created, non-validated Health Habits Survey that assesses nutrition, exercise, ...

7. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/19/4240

Impact of a Teaching Kitchen Curriculum for Health ... Nutrition knowledge, confidence, and skills are thought to be important elements in the role of healthcare professionals in obesity prevention and management.

8. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/392228596_A_Culinary-Based_Intensive_Lifestyle_Program_for_Patients_with_Obesity_The_Teaching_Kitchen_Collaborative_Curriculum_TKCC_Pilot_Study

A Culinary-Based Intensive Lifestyle Program for Patients ... Labs improved LDL significantly (p < 0.05); anthropometrics did not. Conclusions: This teaching kitchen program was feasible, very well accepted ...