AbstractBackground Cooking skills are closely linked to eating behavior and weight management. In Palestinian society,changing dietary patterns and rising obesity rates raise concerns about dietary practices and the role of cooking inpromoting health. This study aimed to explore the relationship between cooking skills, eating behaviors, and obesityamong university students in Palestine.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among An-Najah National University students. Eighty-fourparticipants completed an online questionnaire assessing their cooking skills, food preparation frequency, cookingbehaviors, and food intake. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate body mass index (BMI).Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlations were used to analyze the data. Statistical significancewas set at p < 0.05.Results The study, primarily of female students, found that cooking skills were significantly lower in those whobuy ready meals (5.8 ± 4.8), (p = 0.03) and better in those who dine out moderately (10.5 ± 3.8), (p = 0.002). A positivecooking attitude was highest in those who don’t go to restaurants (p = 0.06). Perceived cooking skills were highest forthose who cook daily (57.5 ± 7.6) and never use ready meals (49.2 ± 10.1) (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.23, respectively). Finally,after adjusting for age and sex, a normal BMI (18.5–24.9) was associated with a higher food preparation frequencyscore (p = 0.04) compared to overweight/obese groups.Conclusion Better cooking skills and regular home cooking are linked to healthier eating habits. These practices alsohelp keep body weight in a normal range. Programs that build cooking knowledge and boost confidence can cutdown obesity rates. Such efforts promote better lifestyles for young people in Palestine
(PDF) Relationship between cooking skills, diet behavior, and obesity in Palestinian society. 

العنوان

BMC nutrition

الناشر

https://link.springer.com/

بلد الناشر

المملكة المتحدة

Indexing

Scopus

معامل التأثير

2,2

نوع المنشور

إلكتروني فقط

المجلد

--

السنة

2025

الصفحات

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