Cookin’ Up Health is a culturally targeted and tailored nutrition intervention using a computer-based interactive format. The program is designed to reduce cardiovascular disease risk by promoting an increase in fruit and vegetable intake and a decrease in dietary fat consumption, focusing on enhancing behavioral capability and self-efficacy (Social Cognitive Theory), and on the benefits, barriers and cues to action to initiate behavior change (Health Belief Model).. Using a cooking show theme, the program discusses the benefits of healthy eating (fruits and vegetables, lower fat foods), provides information on dietary fats, serving sizes of various foods, and nutrition labeling, and demonstrates step-by-step meal preparation emphasizing healthy selection and portion control . The program encourages women to try lower fat cooking methods and increase fruits and vegetables in recipes. West Virginia cooks prepare healthy variations of new and traditional West Virginia recipes. Formative research in rural areas of West Virginia guided the content and design of this intervention making it culturally appropriate for this population and making future dissemination a goal.

Research: To test Cookin’ Up Health, women were identified and recruited for participation through four primary care clinics and two free clinics in four counties in West Virginia. Usingan experimental before-after two-group design women were randomized to one of two groups: those that received the intervention after a personal interview and before a telephone interview (Intervention group), and those that received the intervention after a personal interview and a telephone interview (Control group).

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Funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2001-2003