Abstract B045: Implementation and impact of a community culinary medicine class targeting low-income seniors in a persistent poverty area: A mixed methods pilot study

Abstract Introduction: Culinary medicine programs teach nutrition through experiential cooking classes and have the potential to positively impact diet quality and reduce diet-attributable cancer risk. Community settings such as community colleges may have the local infrastructure to promote culinary medicine among lower-income communities. The goal of this project was to examine the curriculum and preliminary impact of a culinary medicine class for local seniors at Lone Star College-Houston North (LSC), a community college located in a persistent-poverty area of Houston, Texas. Methods: We reviewed the course curriculum using an established conceptual framework of cooking behaviors with the potential to impact diet-attributable cancer risk (The Healthy Cooking Index). We conducted surveys to assess demographics and nutrition behaviors of the students and changes in cooking quality and dietary intake after the course. Perceived impact of the course on home cooking behavior, and suggestions for class improvements were examined via qualitative interviews. Results: Seventeen individuals enrolled in the study, and 10 completed post-class surveys and interviews (59% retention). Most participants were women (83%) and 52% were retired. Over one-third were food insecure based on USDA 6-item food security screener. At baseline, less than 25% of participants consumed recommended daily servings of vegetables, 72% reported eating red meat more than twice/week, and 40% reported eating fast food more than once/week. There was no difference detected in pre (3.32 +/- 3.01) to post (3.31 +/1 2.59) cooking quality scores based on the Healthy Cooking Index or dietary intake. Participants were enthusiastic about the class and found the location convenient but reported barriers to changing their home cooking behaviors including time and skill limitations. Suggestions for improvements included additional nutrition information and adaptations to the classroom structure to optimize group cooking. Discussion: This research offers foundational information for the assessment of existing culinary medicine classes in community settings. Effectiveness trials are needed to understand the impact of these programs on diet quality. This work is supported by funding from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number 1U54CA280804. This study was completed as a part of the Acres Homes Cancer Prevention Collaboration (Acres Homes CPC), an MD Anderson-led initiative implemented in the context of Be Well Communities and funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) through its first program to address persistent poverty in the context of cancer, that seeks to improve cancer outcomes in the community of Acres Homes. Citation Format: Margaret R. Raber, Maria Vazquez, Ernesto Valenzuela, Ruth Rechis, Lorna McNeill, Karen Basen-Engquist. Implementation and impact of a community culinary medicine class targeting low-income seniors in a persistent poverty area: A mixed methods pilot study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B045.