Traditional foods and health: A Community-Based Approach to Improving Food Security and Health in Alaska

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage AK

Investigators

Abstract

Food insecurity and loss of food sovereignty are pressing threats to the health and wellbeing of Alaska Native (AN) communities, particularly in the remote Aleutian Pribilof Islands region. Despite strong theoretical and conceptual links between food sovereignty, food security, and improved health outcomes, there is limited empirical evidence on the mechanisms and culturally relevant measures that connect these domains. Existing research often prioritizes Western dietary and health standards, overlooking regionally and culturally specific indicators of wellbeing and the foundational role of traditional foods in Indigenous health. The Aleutian Pribilof Islands, home to 13 Aleut/Unangan Tribes, face extreme logistical and economic barriers to both traditional and store-bought foods, with obesity rates among AN people in the region the highest in Alaska (55% vs. state average 36%). There is an urgent need for regionally grounded, community-driven research and interventions to strengthen food sovereignty and improve health outcomes.This project introduces two key innovations: 1) Development of a Food Sovereignty and Wellbeing conceptual framework and multilevel research toolkit, co- created with the 13 regional Tribes, integrating Western and Indigenous knowledge systems. The toolkit will include both clinical and culturally relevant measures, enabling a "two-eyed seeing" approach. 2) Tribally-led Decision-Making Architecture through the establishment of a Regional Food Sovereignty Council (RFSC) and collaboration with the Aleut Community of St. Paul Tribal Government to guide all phases of research and intervention, embedding Indigenous governance and decision-making throughout.