The Development, Implementation and Assessment of Master Chef, a Theory-Based Mindful Eating Intervention for College Students

Problem: One-fifth of undergraduates report poor mental health, with a majority of diagnoses being anxiety. Anxiety and stress are key determinants of maladaptive dietary behaviors. Over time, this leads to an increased risk for diet-related chronic diseases. Experiential mindfulness- based nutrition education has the potential to address this issue; there is a lack of these theory- based interventions tailored toward the college environment. Methods: Master Chef (MC) is an interactive, college-tailored mindful eating program developed through the lens of social cognitive theory. MC underwent formative assessment through way of expert review and subsequent inductive thematic analysis. MC was piloted, among a school of nursing student body, in Fall 2022 using a mixed-methods approach. Surveys were distributed before and directly after the program. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests. Preliminary semi-structured focus groups were assessed using inductive thematic analysis. Master Chef was then evaluated for effectiveness using a non-randomized control trial, with the control being mindful-based movement interventions. Two cohorts of baccalaureate nursing students enrolled one week prior to the fall semester, with assessments completed during enrollment and after program completion. Data were analyzed using repeated ANOVA. Variables assessed included diet quality (DQ), mindful eating, self-efficacy, body appreciation (BA), and interactive nutrition literacy (INL). Summative evaluation included semi-structured focus groups and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Master Chef was viewed by experts (N=7) in the field of mindful eating and nutrition as feasible and likely to improve health behaviors. Pilot participants (N=10) reported improvements in DQ and cooking self-efficacy. Participants also reported lowered scores in the emotional domain after the intervention. Following implementation of the program MC participants (n=53) reported improved BA, the ability to hold positive feelings towards one’s own body, and INL as compared to the control (n=100). Themes resulting from focus groups encompassed the cognitive, behavioral, and environmental domains. Conclusions: Master Chef, a mindful eating nutrition education program, underwent rigorous formative and summative evaluation. Results indicated that programming was successful in improving critical influences of dietary choices in sustaining positive health behaviors. Future research should assess long-term impacts of programming on health behaviors within this population and application within diverse populations.