(P22-022-23) Creating a Nutrient-Dense Menu Using Indigenous Foods for Use in a Dietary Intervention Trial: A Study Protocol

Objectives: The USDA-ARS Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center (GFHNRC) is located within close geographic proximity to several federally recognized tribal communities. These communities experience greater rates of health disparities than surrounding areas in part due to a forced transition away from traditional diets. This study protocol will be used to develop a dietary intervention (menu) based on traditional Indigenous foods local to the Northern Great Plains area.

Methods: The menu will be informed by three key factors- 1. Nutrient composition; 2. Traditional foods consumed by Indigenous communities in the Northern Great Plains; 3. Practicality. Because Indigenous communities do not traditionally consume dairy, the Healthy Eating Index is not appropriate for assessing diet quality. Nutrient composition will be used to assess healthfulness. Food pattern modeling will be applied to the Healthy U.S.-Style Dietary Pattern (HUSDP) from the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) to determine the nutrient composition of a 2400 kcal eating pattern, which will be used as the goal nutrient composition for our dietary intervention.

To define “traditional” foods consumed by Indigenous communities in the Northern Great Plains, a list of foods and beverages consumed by Indigenous peoples in this area prior to 1851 (when the Indian Appropriations Act established reservations) will be developed. Finally, this menu must be practical for preparation in modern kitchens and consumption by contemporary consumers.

Results: A historian specializing in Indigenous studies will develop a list of foods, ingredients, and recipes commonly used and consumed by Indigenous people in what is now the Northern Great Plains area. This list of food items will be developed into a nutrient-dense menu and compared to the nutrient composition of the HUSDP from the 2020 DGA. This menu will then be prepared by staff at the GFHNRC working with Indigenous professionals experienced in preparing traditional foods.

Conclusions: This project will develop a nutrient-dense, traditional, and practical Indigenous foods menu specific to the Northern Great Plains for use in a dietary intervention trial to assess spontaneous physical activity change with the consumption of a traditional Indigenous diet compared to a standard Western diet.

Funding Sources: USDA Agricultural Research Service project grant