title: Cooking Up Energy with Predominately Latino Children during Afterschool Hours.
abstract: We investigated the impact on body weight status and food-related behaviors following participation in the Cooking Up Energy® (CUE) Program.
  
  
  
  Children 7-11 years old attended 10 cooking/nutrition education sessions. Baseline and post-program weight, height and waist circumference measurements, frequency of participation in meal preparation and food frequency questionnaires were obtained. Data were analyzed for the entire group as well as a subgroup of overweight and obese participants.
  
  
  
  Participants (N = 51) were predominately Latino (76%) and overweight (52%). Significant reduction in mean body mass index (BMI) percentile was found in the subgroup of overweight and obese participants (N = 27; p < .05). However, reduction in mean BMI z-score was non-significant. Reports of program enjoyment (98%) and an increased desire to cook more frequently at home (83%) were found; however, no significant increase in participation in meal preparation at home was found following program completion.
  
  
  
  The CUE program was well received by most participants, and there is indication that program participation has the potential to have a positive influence on body weight. However, more research is needed to explore ways to promote an increase in participation in food preparation at home by children.
authors: Department of Nutrition, Long Island University, Brookville, NY, USA. Kathy.isoldi@liu.edu.
authors: Kathy K
authors: KK
authors: Isoldi
authors: Department of Economics, Long Island University, Brookville, NY, USA.
authors: Veronika
authors: V
authors: Dolar
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D012572:School Health Services