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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #415946
Research Project: Dietary and Physical Activity Guidance for Weight Loss and Maintenance

Location: Healthy Body Weight Research

Title: What’s in a healthy indigenous diet? Creating a nutrient-dense menu using foods consumed by native communities in the northern great plains prior to 1851 for use in dietary intervention trial

Author
item Hess, Julie
item Comeau, Madeline
item FOSSUM, DEBRA - University Of North Dakota
item BOURBOUN, JACOB - University Of North Dakota
item FROELICH, BROOKE - University Of North Dakota
item SCHEETT, ANGELA - University Of North Dakota
item KITZES, EDWIN - United Tribes Technical College
item BAKER RAMSEY, TIFFANY - Sitting Bull College
item Brunelle, Dale
item Roemmich, James

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/8/2024
Publication Date: 10/8/2024
Citation: Hess, J.M., Comeau, M.E., Fossum, D., Bourboun, J., Froelich, B., Scheett, A., Kitzes, E., Baker Ramsey, T., Brunelle, D.C., Roemmich, J.N. 2024. What’s in a healthy indigenous diet? Creating a nutrient-dense menu using foods consumed by native communities in the northern great plains prior to 1851 for use in dietary intervention trial. Meeting Abstract. Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, October 5-8, 2024

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Background: The forced establishment of Indian reservations by the U.S. government in the year 1851 fundamentally altered the food systems of Indigenous peoples. The purpose of this study was to identify traditional foods that would have been consumed by Indigenous peoples who lived in the Northern Great Plains region prior to 1851 and develop them into a menu that meets contemporary standards for healthy eating for use in a dietary intervention study. Methods: A list of foods and beverages consumed by Indigenous peoples before 1851 was developed through historical research, including reviewing Indigenous sources (recorded oral histories and creation stories) and primary and secondary sources such as accounts of fur traders, captives, travelers, soldiers, and missionaries who interacted with Indigenous communities. Contemporary standards for healthy eating were based on the nutrient composition of the 2400 kcal Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern (HUSDP) from the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). Recipes were refined and tasted for seasoning level by trained kitchen staff in collaboration with an Indigenous chef and leader. Results: On average, the 5-day menu provided adequate fiber (50.5 g), potassium (4606 mg), and iron (22.5 mg), among other micronutrients. Sodium (2828 mg) exceeded the 2300 mg recommendation while saturated fat (6.6% total calories) was provided within recommendations. The menu fell below recommendations for calcium (617 mg) and vitamin D (4.2 mcg). Conclusions: A menu comprised of foods traditional to Indigenous communities of the Northern Great Plains met some contemporary evidence-based recommendations for healthy eating patterns.