Objective To describe and compare dietary intake and prevalence of overweig
ht in a sample of adults in 2 Ojibwe communities in Mille Lacs, Minn, and L
ac Court Oreilles, Wis.
Design Cross-sectional survey based on interviews that included a 24-hour r
ecall, food frequency questionnaire, and a sociocultural questionnaire.
Subjects/setting One hundred four adult Band (tribe) members were selected
randomly from current housing lists; pregnant and lactating women were excl
uded.
Statistical analyses performed Nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum tests were u
sed to determine differences in absolute nutrient intakes where normality c
ould not be assumed. Two-tailed t tests were conducted to test for differen
ces between nutrient densities. A significance level of alpha=.05 was used;
procedurewise adjustments were made using the Bonferroni method when adjus
ting for multiple comparisons.
Results The importance of the traditional food system was evident: at least
50% of respondents engaged in hunting and fishing practices. Prevalence of
overweight was 47%. Mean nutrient intakes were below the Recommended Dieta
ry Allowance for women for vitamin A, folate, calcium. iron, and zinc and f
or men for vitamin A and calcium, despite energy intakes that met the Recom
mended Dietary Allowance. Nutrient densities were lower than those in the t
hird National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for women for carbohy
drate,vitamin C, folate, calcium, and dietary fiber and for men for folate
and dietary fiber. Fat contributed 37% (for men) and 40% (for women) of ene
rgy intake.
Applications/conclusions Areas of focus for culturally relevant education p
rograms leg, promotion of traditional foods that provide nutrients of low i
ntake status and low-fat traditional food preparation methods) and research
needs are suggested to reduce risks for nutrition-related chronic disease
among Native Americans.