Diabetes is a serious problem among Native Americans. Overall prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in Sedentary lifestyles affect the likelihood of diabetes. …
Native American Health and Obesity Stats and Facts
Health is defined by many Native Americans in terms of diet and
nutrition, and avoiding harmful substances such as tobacco and
alcohol Research has found that physical activity is rarely mentioned
in relation to good health GG Advertising focus groups, 2002
Native Americans have higher rates of alcohol and other drug use than
any other racial-ethnic group 1997 Profile of the State of Indian
Children and Youth, Beauvais 1992; Oetting, et al 1988 Studies
indicate that adolescents involved in a broad range of positive
activities report lower rates of substance use than their noninvolved
peers Eccles Barber, Journal of Adolescent Research, 1999
Diabetes is a serious problem among Native Americans Overall
prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in Native Americans is 122 percent
versus 52 percent in the general population In some tribes, 50
percent of the population has diabetes 2000 Diabetes Facts and
Figures report by the American Diabetes Association Sedentary
lifestyles affect the likelihood of diabetes
In a study of 12,559 Indian children
age 5-17 in the Aberdeen SD
area, researchers found a high prevalence of overweight and obesity
based on elevated body mass index BMI data Zephier, Himes, Story,
1999
even at the youngest school ages, overweight is more than twice as
likely as national patterns and obesity is more than three times as
prevalent Zephier et al
In a nationwide study of 9,464 AI schoolchildren age 5-18 years
living on or near Indian reservations which concluded that overweight
is much more prevalent among AI children than among other US
populations in both sexes and at all ages Jackson, 1993
overweight children consumed an average of 402 calories more energy
intake per day According to the researchers, these findings indicate
that reducing dietary fat would be a less effective intervention than
adjusting portion sizes, and that efforts to prevent obesity in AI
children should begin in infancy, as obesity rates are already high
by the time the children are toddlers Harvey-Berino and associates
2000
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