Indigenous people experience higher prevalence of chronic disease, which is associated with sedentary behavior, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition. This systematic review explores interventions targeting health and lifestyle choices through nutrition, diet, and exercise of indigenous adolescents. Interventions were analyzed for incorporation of community involvement and cultural competency. Searches were conducted using the PubMed MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases, as well as journals dedicated to indigenous studies. Of 255 articles retrieved, seven articles describing six interventions met inclusion criteria. All of the interventions included community involvement with most demonstrating cultural competency toward the indigenous culture. In general, interventions demonstrated positive retention and completion rates, despite mixed outcomes related to diet, nutrition, and exercise. Findings reflect the paucity of research published in this area. Community involvement and cultural competency may impact receptivity of interventions according to process variables; however, additional research is needed to identify specific variables that may impact lifestyles of indigenous youth.
Ah VonD., EbertS., NgamvitrojA., ParkN., & KangD. (2003). Predictors of health behaviours in college students.Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48, 463–474.
BarnesP. M., AdamsP. F., & Powell-GrinerE. (2010). Health characteristics of the American Indian or Alaska Native adult population: United States, 2004-2008. National Health Statistics Reports No. 20. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
5.
BetancourtJ. R., GreenA. R., CarrilloJ. E., & Ananeh-FirempongO.II (2003). Defining cultural competence: A practical framework for addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care.Public Health Reports, 118(4), 293–302.
6.
Brave HeartM. Y., ChaseJ., ElkinsJ., & AltschulD. B. (2011). Historical trauma among indigenous peoples of the Americas: Concepts, research, and clinical considerations.Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 43(4), 282–290.
7.
Brave HeartM. Y. H., & DeBruynL. M. (1998). The American Indian holocaust: Healing historical unresolved grief.American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 8(2), 60–82.
8.
BrownB., NoonanC., HarrisK. J., ParkerM., GaskillS., RicciC., … GressS. (2013). Developing and piloting the Journey to Native Youth Health program in northern Plains Indian communities.Diabetes Educator, 39(1), 109–118.
9.
BrownsonR. C., BakerE. A., LeetT. L., GillespieK. N., & TrueW. R. (2011). Evidence-based public health (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
10.
BurhansstipanovL., ChristopherS., & SchumacherA. (2005). Lessons learned from community-based participatory research in Indian country.Cancer Control, 12(Suppl 2), 70–76.
11.
Caballero, B., Clay, T., Davis, S. M., Ethelbah, B., Rock, B. H., Lohman, T., … Pathways Study Research Group. (2003). Pathways: A school-based, randomized controlled trial for the prevention of obesity in American Indian schoolchildren.The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 78(5), 1030–1038.
ChangR. M., & LowenthalP. H. (2001). Genetic research and the vulnerability of Native Hawaiians.Pacific Health Dialogue, 8(2), 364–367.
15.
ChristopherS., WattsV., McCormickA. K., & YoungS. (2008). Building and maintaining trust in a community-based participatory research partnership.American Journal of Public Health, 98(8), 398–1406.
16.
FernándezJ., ReddenD., PietrobelliA., & AllisonD. (2004). Waist circumference percentiles in nationally representative samples of African-American, European-American, and Mexican-American children and adolescents.Journal of Pediatrics, 145(4), 439–444.
17.
FerraroK., ThorpeR., & WilkinsonJ. (2003). The life course of severe obesity: Does childhood overweight matter?Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 58(2), S110–S119.
18.
FleischhackerS. E., EvensonK. R., RodriguezD. A., & AmmermanA. S. (2011). A systematic review of fast food access studies.Obesity Reviews, 12(5), e460–e471.
19.
FongM., BraunK., & TsarkJ. (2003). Improving Native Hawaiian health through community-based participatory research.Californian Journal of Health Promotion, 1(Special Issue: Hawaii), 136–148.
20.
GatesM., HanningR., GatesA., McCarthyD., & TsujiL. (2013). Assessing the impact of pilot school snack programs on milk and alternatives intake in 2 remote First Nation communities in Northern Ontario, Canada.Journal of School Health, 83(2), 69–76.
21.
GraceyM., & KingM. (2009). Indigenous health part 1: Determinants and disease patterns.Lancet, 374(9683), 65–75.
HutchinsonR. N., & ShinS. (2014). Systematic review of health disparities for cardiovascular diseases and associated factors among American Indian and Alaska Native populations.PLoS One, 9(1), 1–9.
24.
KatzmarzykP. (2008). Obesity and physical activity among Aboriginal Canadians.Obesity, 16(1), 184–190.
25.
KingG. L., McNeelyM. J., ThorpeL. E., MauM. L. M., KoJ., LiuL. L., … ChowE. A. (2012). Understanding and addressing unique needs of diabetes in Asian Americans, native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.Diabetes Care, 35(5), 1181–1188.
26.
KingM., SmithA., & GraceyM. (2009). Indigenous health part 2: The underlying causes of the health gap.Lancet, 374(9683), 76–85.
27.
LewisJ. P., & BoydK. (2012). Determined by the community: CBPR in Alaska Native communities building local control and self-determination.Journal of Indigenous Research, 1(2), 1–24.
28.
LindholmL., & RosenM. (2000). What is the “golden standard” for assessing population based interventions? Problems of dilution bias.Journal of Epidemiology Community Health, 54(8), 617–622.
29.
LuceroA. A., LambrickD. M., FaulknerJ. A., FryerS., TarrantM. A., PoudevigneM., … StonerL. (2014). Modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors among indigenous populations.Advances in Preventive Medicine, 2014, 1–13.
30.
MauM. K., SinclairK., SaitoE. P., BaumhoferK. N., & KaholokulaJ. K. (2009). Cardiometabolic health disparities in native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.Epidemiological Review, 31, 113–129.
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tatzlaff, J., Altman, D., & the PRISMA Group. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement.Annals of Internal Medicine: Journal, 151(4), 264–269.
34.
MokuauN. (2011). Culturally based solutions to preserve the health of Native Hawaiians.Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 20, 98–113.
35.
MorelliP. T., & MatairaP. J. (2010). Indigenizing evaluation research: A long-awaited paradigm shift.Journal of Indigenous Voices in Social Work, 1(2), 1–12.
OkamotoS., KulisS., MarsigliaF., SteikerL., & DustmanP. (2013). A continuum of approaches toward developing culturally focused prevention interventions: From adaptation to grounding.Journal of Primary Prevention, 35(2), 103–112.
39.
ParadisG., LévesqueL., MacaulayA. C., CargoM., McComberA., KirbyR., … PotvinL. (2005). Impact of a diabetes prevention program on body size, physical activity, and diet among Kanien'kehá: Ka (Mohawk) children 6 to 11 years old: 8-year results from the Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project.Pediatrics, 115(2), 333–339.
40.
PronkN., AndersonL., CrainL., MartinsonB., O'ConnorP., SherwoodN., & WhitebirdR. R. (2004). Meeting recommendations for multiple healthy lifestyle factors.American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 27(2S), 25–33.
41.
ReevesM., & RaffertyA. (2005). Healthy lifestyle characteristics among adults in the United States, 2000.Archives of Internal Medicine, 165, 854–857.
42.
ResnicowK., BaranowskiT., AhluwaliaJ. S., & BraithwaiteR. L. (1999). Cultural sensitivity in public health: Defined and demystified.Ethnicity and Disease, 9(1), 10–21.
43.
RinderknechtK., & SmithC. (2004). Social cognitive theory in an after-school nutrition intervention for urban Native American youth.Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 36(6), 298–304.
44.
RitenbaughC., Teufel-ShoneN., AickinM. G., JoeJ. R., PoirierS., DillinghamD., … CockerhamD. (2003). A lifestyle intervention improves plasma insulin levels among Native American high school youth.Preventive Medicine, 36(3), 309–319.
45.
SchinkeS., SingerB., ColeK., & ContentoI. (1996). Reducing cancer risk among Native American adolescents.Preventive Medicine, 25(2), 146–155.
46.
SoteroM. M. (2006). A conceptual model of historical trauma: Implications for public health practice and research.Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 1(1), 93–107.
47.
StonerL., ShultzS. P., LambrickD. M., KrebsJ., WeatherallM., PalmerB. R., … WilliamsM. A. (2013). The combating obesity in Māori and Pasifika adolescent school-children study: COMPASS methodology and study protocol.International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 4(5), 565–579.
48.
TeufelN. I., & RitenbaughC. K. (1998). Development of a primary prevention program: Insight gained in the Zuni Diabetes Prevention Program.Clinical Pediatrics, 37(2), 131–141.
49.
TobiasJ. K., RichmondC. A., & LuginaahI. (2013). Community-based participatory research (CBPR) with indigenous communities: Producing respectful and reciprocal research.Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, 8(2), 129–140.
50.
TomlinD., NaylorP., McKayH., ZorziA., MitchellM., & PanagiotopoulosC. (2012). The impact of Action Schools! BC on the health of Aboriginal children and youth living in rural and remote communities in British Columbia.International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 71, 1–9.
51.
TurnerK. M. T., RichardsM., & SandersM. R. (2007). Randomised clinical trial of a group parent education programme for Australian indigenous families.Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health, 43(6), 429–437.
52.
WallersteinN., & DuranB. (2010). Community-based participatory research contributions to intervention research: The intersection of science and practice to improve health equity.American Journal of Public Health, 100(Suppl 1), S40–S46.
53.
WaltersK. L., StatelyA., Evans-CampbellT., SimoniJ. M., DuranB., SchultzK., … GuerreroD. (2008). “Indigenist” collaborative research efforts in Native American communities (pp. 146-173). In StiffmanA. (Ed.), The nitty-gritty of managing field research.New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
54.
WarneD. (2006). Research and educational approaches to reducing health disparities among American Indians and Alaska Natives.Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 17(3), 266–271.
