P0087553
Submitted to
University of Alaska Anchorage
Institute of Social and Economic Research
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508-8180
September 15, 1997
By
Elizabeth D. Nobmann, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D.
EDN Nutrition Consulting
3935 Apollo Drive
Anchorage, AK 99504
The Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) requested information to assist in developing a comprehensive program that assists individuals and agency personnel in understanding the nutritional aspects of subsistence foods so that they can make informed decisions about the consumption of subsistence foods. The purposes of this report are to 1.) Review and summarize published information about the nutritional benefits of subsistence or Native foods consumed in Alaska; 2.) Identify the gaps in written knowledge about the nutritional benefits, and 3.) Propose ways to address them. The report is intended for administrators in villages and agencies who may deal with subsistence foods. It also is intended for anyone interested in subsistence or Native foods in Alaska and their benefits.
Findings: Published reports have shown: Subsistence foods make a substantial contribution to nutritional well being. Over half of the protein, iron, vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids in the diet of some Alaska Natives comes from subsistence foods. Subsistence foods have nutritional benefits that make them preferable to many purchased foods. They are rich in many nutrients, low in fat, and contain more heart-healthy fats and less harmful fats than many non-Native foods. Alaska Natives eating subsistence foods have lower signs of diabetes and heart disease. The diet of Alaska Natives may explain their lower rates of certain kinds of cancer. Eating and gathering subsistence foods has positive benefits in avoiding obesity. Eating and gathering subsistence, or Native, foods contributes to social mental and spiritual well being. However, there are gaps in knowledge. Information is limited in the following areas: How does what a person eats affect him? What foods are eaten in different parts of Alaska? Information is fairly good on what foods are harvested but limited on what is actually eaten. How much of each food is eaten? Do people of different ages eat differently? How are eating practices changing over time and what are the results? What is the nutrient content of some foods? Even less information is available on: What is the nutrient content for many foods for some nutrients? How do elements in foods protect the body from environmental hazards? What are the best ways to communicate information that is known? What are simple tools which individuals could use to interpret scientific findings and make informed decisions about what they eat? Specific recommendations: The most important gaps in understanding the nutritional benefits of subsistence foods are in describing what and how much people eat and how this may be related to health. 1. Document what specific foods are eaten and how much is eaten within regions through the seasons. This includes identifying parts of plants and animals consumed and preparation methods. This should be undertaken in collaboration with the local people in regions where there is interest. 2. Compile and distribute nutrient composition information on the most important nutrients in the most consumed foods. Based on their importance to health and the lack of existing information nutrients to investigate include vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids, vitamin A, beta-carotene, selenium, dietary fiber, calcium, cholesterol, iron, fat, energy, protein, water and carbohydrate. 3. Develop and distribute information on the benefits and clarify any documented risks of consuming specific subsistence foods. Foods of particular interest include salmon, fish other than salmon, sea mammals, livers and kidneys of sea mammals, moose, caribou, and deer, livers and kidneys of land mammals, marine invertebrates and berries. 4. Investigations are needed on the relationships of food and health. This is challenging, as health is difficult to measure. Disease more often is measured. This is also difficult when there are few cases of the disease in a relatively small population. 5. Basic research is needed on the interactions of nutrients and contaminants and how this effects health. An alternate approach is to measure existing health status first and then compare results with intakes of nutrients and contaminants. 6. Identify and apply the most effective methods of communicating with those that may be interested or need to know about the nutritional benefits and possible risks of eating subsistence foods. 7. There is need for repeating existing findings. Sound, scientific conclusions are based on finding the same results time after time. There is also a need for approaching questions from different angles.INTRODUCTION
Native foods have been nourishing Alaska Natives for thousands of years. They nourish the body, the spirit and the community. How they nourish is the subject of much research and written reports. It is also the subject of unwritten knowledge and traditional wisdom. This report focuses on the written knowledge. Describing the unwritten knowledge, while commendable, is beyond the scope of this report. There are three types of information needed to characterize the nutritional benefits of subsistence foods. It is necessary to know what foods are eaten and in what amounts. It is necessary to know what is in each food. Ultimately it is necessary to know what the foods do for you. This report will briefly address these topics and describe where gaps exist in our current knowledge. The project objectives have been broken into several tasks: Objective 1 The status of existing published knowledge on consumption of subsistence foods in Alaska, their nutritive value, and gaps in knowledge will be described. Task 1.1 The status of existing published knowledge on consumption of subsistence foods in Alaska will be described. Task 1.2 The nutritional contribution these foods make will be addressed, including information on the antioxidants, selenium and vitamin E Task 1.3 Gaps in current knowledge will be defined which will lead to development of a comprehensive program which assists individuals and agency personnel in understanding the nutritional aspects of subsistence foods so that they can make informed decisions about consumption of subsistence foods. Objective 2 Recommendations on presenting nutritional information in a Contaminants & Subsistence Foods Database will be presented.METHODS
Existing published information was obtained from a literature search of databases available through the University of Alaska Anchorage Library. Several databases were reviewed: Medline (1966-August 1997), CINAHL (The Nursing and Allied Health Database, (1982-June 1997), HealthSTAR (1975-July 1997), CancerLit (1983-July 1997), Arctic and Antarctic Regions Database (NISC), Dissertation Abstracts on DISC (Jan 1861-March 1997), Alaska Periodical Index (1978-1997), and University of Alaska Library Catalogs. Search topics included: Alaska and subsistence, Alaska and food, Alaska and diet and Alaska and nutrition. Pertinent articles were annotated. The prototype database under development at ISER was briefly reviewed. Suggestions for presenting nutritional information were generated. The results of the literature search and my personal knowledge based on twenty-three years of work on nutritional issues in Alaska served as the basis for suggesting gaps in knowledge and making recommendations for action. go to Findings