Knowledge Tree
Alaska Natives
Also known as: AI/AN, Alaska Natives, Alaska Native, Alaskan Native
Facts (24)
Sources
Indigenous Foods - National Indian Council on Aging nicoa.org 11 facts
measurement30 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native elders have diabetes.
procedureAmerican Indian and Alaska Native ancestors preserved food by drying, smoking, and storing it for later use.
claimAmerican Indian and Alaska Native populations have a predisposition to obesity and diabetes, though these conditions were historically rare among these groups.
measurementNearly 40 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native men are obese, according to research cited by the National Indian Council on Aging.
claimPre-contact American Indian and Alaska Native diets included a wide variety of harvested foods such as seeds, nuts, corn, beans, chile, squash, wild fruits, greens, herbs, fish, and game.
measurementAmerican Indian and Alaska Native people are twice as likely to die from diabetes compared to the general population.
claimBefore European contact, the diets of American Indian and Alaska Native ancestors were characterized by higher consumption of complex carbohydrates and lower consumption of fats compared to modern diets.
measurementObesity rates among American Indian and Alaska Native elders are highest in the 55-64 age group and lower among older elders.
claimDiet, exercise, and genetic predisposition are contributing factors to the high rates of diabetes and obesity among American Indian and Alaska Native elders.
claimThe history of American Indian and Alaska Native diets is categorized into four distinct time periods before and after European colonization.
measurementMore than 46 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women are obese, according to research cited by the National Indian Council on Aging.
Indigenous Foods: a Path to Healthy Living nicoa.org Jul 12, 2016 10 facts
claimTraditional American Indian and Alaska Native foods consisted of items gathered and hunted in the local area, and sometimes included agricultural products like corn, squash, and beans introduced before European influence.
claimDiabetes and obesity were very rare among American Indians and Alaska Natives approximately 100 years ago.
claimAmerican Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) have a higher predisposition to developing obesity and diabetes compared to the general population.
claimAmerican Indians and Alaska Natives are twice as likely to die from diabetes as the general population, with untreated consequences including amputations, blindness, and death.
measurementNearly 40% of American Indian and Alaska Native men and more than 46% of American Indian and Alaska Native women are obese, with the highest rates occurring among Elders aged 55-64.
measurementMore than 16% of American Indians and Alaska Natives have diabetes, which is a rate more than twice as high as that of the general United States population.
accountThe shift in American Indian and Alaska Native diets resulted from their removal from homelands and relocation to reservations, where the federal government discouraged traditional hunting and gathering and provided commodity foods like white flour and lard.
measurementAmong American Indian and Alaska Native Elders, 30% (nearly 1 in 3) have diabetes.
claimTraditional diets of American Indian and Alaska Native ancestors contained more complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, peas, beans, and potatoes, and fewer fats, such as meats, dairy products, and oils.
claimThe destruction of traditional food practices and the adoption of a modern diet have contributed to health disparities among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations.
The Role Of Traditional Foods In Native Elder Health icaa.cc 1 fact
measurementThere are nearly 800,000 people age 65 and older in the United States who identify as American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander elders.
Indigenous Foodways - FSNK - Montana State University montana.edu Nov 11, 2024 1 fact
claimThe Indigenous Nourishment Model (INM) was developed with American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander urban residents living in Baltimore and Minneapolis.
Fact Sheet: Indigenous Foodways nicoa.org 1 fact
claimThe variety of cultivated and wild foods consumed by American Indian and Alaska Native populations before contact with Europeans was as vast and variable as the regions they inhabited.