Exploring how food environments affect diet and health in rural American Indian communities

Understanding the Role of the Food Environment on Diet and Health in Rural American Indian Communities: the Strong Heart Food Environment Study

NIH-funded research University of Washington · NIH-10918039

This study is looking at how different things in your community and home can affect what you eat and your heart health, specifically for people living in rural American Indian communities, to find better ways to help everyone eat healthier.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Washington NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Seattle, United States)
Project IDNIH-10918039 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how various factors in the food environment, including community, household, and individual influences, affect diet and cardiovascular health in rural American Indian communities. By building on previous studies, the project aims to gather comprehensive data on the physical and socio-cultural aspects of food access and consumption. The research will utilize existing data from large cohort studies while incorporating new assessments to better understand the barriers and facilitators to healthy eating. This approach seeks to identify effective strategies to improve dietary habits and health outcomes in these communities.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are American Indian individuals living in rural communities who are affected by dietary issues and cardiovascular health concerns.

Not a fit: Patients who do not belong to American Indian communities or those living in urban areas may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved dietary practices and reduced rates of cardiovascular diseases among American Indian populations.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies, such as the Strong Heart Study, have successfully identified health risks in American Indian populations, indicating that this approach has a foundation of prior success.

Where this research is happening

Seattle, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.