Methods for the evaluation of the Jamie Oliver Ministry of Food program,Australia

Abstract

Community-based programs aimed at improving cooking skills, cookingconfidence and individual eating behaviours have grown in number over thepast two decades. Whilst some evidence exists to support theireffectiveness, only small behavioural changes have been reported andlimitations in study design may have impacted on results. This paper describes the first evaluation of the Jamie Oliver Ministry ofFood Program (JMoF) Australia, in Ipswich, Queensland. JMoF Australia is acommunity-based cooking skills program open to the general public consistingof 1.5 hour classes weekly over a 10 week period, based on the program ofthe same name originating in the United Kingdom. A mixed methods study design is proposed. Given the programmaticimplementation of JMoF in Ipswich, the quantitative study is anon-randomised, pre-post design comparing participants undergoing theprogram with a wait-list control group. There will be two primary outcomemeasures: (i) change in cooking confidence (self-efficacy) and (ii) changein self-reported mean vegetable intake (serves per day). Secondary outcomemeasures will include change in individual cooking and eating behaviours andpsycho-social measures such as social connectedness and self-esteem.Repeated measures will be collected at baseline, program completion (10weeks) and 6 months follow up from program completion. A sample of 250participants per group will be recruited for the evaluation to detect a meanchange of 0.5 serves a day of vegetables at 80% power (0.5% significancelevel). Data analysis will assess the magnitude of change of these variablesboth within and between groups and use sub group analysis to explore therelationships between socio-demographic characteristics and outcomes. The qualitative study will be a longitudinal design consisting ofsemi-structured interviews with approximately 10-15 participants conductedat successive time points. An inductive thematic analysis will be conductedto explore social, attitudinal and behavioural changes experienced byprogram participants. This evaluation will contribute to the evidence of whether cooking programswork in terms of improving health and wellbeing and the underlyingmechanisms which may lead to positive behaviour change. Australian and New Zealand Trial registration number: ACTRN12611001209987 .