Date of Award

January 2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Nutrition & Dietetics

First Advisor

Anne Bodensteiner

Abstract

Under-resourced communities often demonstrate little to basic knowledge and skills regarding food and nutrition-related practices, such as cooking and meal planning, nutrition label reading, and gardening. This can be attributed to various factors such as education level, socioeconomic status, available education programs, and overall interest in these topics. Limited research is available discussing the current knowledge, skills, and interests of nutrition topics and healthy eating patterns within Blue Zones Project (BZP) communities. To explore this gap in the literature, a cross-sectional design was implemented via a food skills survey completed by the residents of a modest-sized college town and site of a BZP in the upper Midwest. The University of North Dakota collaborated with the BZP to develop and distribute the food skills survey. Survey links and QR codes were distributed in person, online, and mailed on a postcard. Responses were recorded over six weeks and analyzed to assess knowledge, skills, and interest in expanding these in the areas of meal preparation, nutrition knowledge, and gardening. Analysis from 345 surveys will help to determine education opportunities within the community. Participants indicate some level of interest in increasing their cooking and meal planning skills, and time, interest, and cost as the main barriers to cooking and meal planning. Participants also indicate interest in increasing their gardening skills and identify knowledge, skills, and space as their main barriers to gardening at home.

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