Nutrition‐based interventions to address metabolic syndrome in the Navajo: a systematic review

Abstract

Development of a strategy to address metabolic syndrome in the Navajo may involve aspects from multiple interventions to increase efficacy and maximise participation.

Apathy and Type 2 Diabetes among American Indians: Exploring the Protective Effects of Traditional Cultural Involvement

“…Thus, increased focus on culturally-specific, culturally safe care 44 and support of community efforts to increase access and involvement in AI cultural activities may have important health benefits for those living with diabetes, and could be integral to apathy reduction goals. The potential for AI cultural involvement to promote health is consistent with the Indigenist stress coping model 13 and a growing body of literature demonstrating protective associations between AI cultural factors and overall self-rated health status, 22 and physical health. 20,21 …”

“…22 We found that participation in traditional AI cultural activities is indirectly associated with better diabetes-related outcomes via lower levels of apathy. Thus, increased focus on culturally-specific, culturally safe care 44 and support of community efforts to increase access and involvement in AI cultural activities may have important health benefits for those living with diabetes, and could be integral to apathy reduction goals.…”

“…13–22 Culturally-salient constructs of relevance to many Indigenous communities and connected to health in these studies included participation in traditional cultural and land-based activities, subsistence practices, cultural spirituality and spiritual orientation, adolescent interest in learning about culture, and level of “traditionalism.” Further, a systematic review on nutrition-based interventions for individuals with metabolic syndrome identified cultural adaption as one factor that may improve the efficacy of an intervention. 22 The potentially protective effects of culture are included in the Indigenist stress coping model, a theoretical framework postulated by Walters, Simoni, and Evans-Campbell.…”

“…13–22 Culturally-salient constructs of relevance to many Indigenous communities and connected to health in these studies included participation in traditional cultural and land-based activities, subsistence practices, cultural spirituality and spiritual orientation, adolescent interest in learning about culture, and level of “traditionalism.” Further, a systematic review on nutrition-based interventions for individuals with metabolic syndrome identified cultural adaption as one factor that may improve the efficacy of an intervention. 22 The potentially protective effects of culture are included in the Indigenist stress coping model, a theoretical framework postulated by Walters, Simoni, and Evans-Campbell. 23 The model suggests that the associations between trauma, life stressors, and adverse health outcomes among AI community members are moderated by cultural factors such as spirituality and traditional healing practices and builds on stress process perspectives in which person factors and environmental contexts serve as mediators or moderators of stressful life events; health outcomes depend in part on coping resources and responses to life stressors.…”

Inadequacies in the habitual nutrient intakes of patients with metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional study

“…Among the environmental factors, diet is one of the main risk factors associated with the increased prevalence of MS [5]. Dietary intervention is an important strategy for the prevention and control of MS [6]. …”