Exploring how food environments affect diet and health in rural American Indian communities
Official title: Understanding the Role of the Food Environment on Diet and Health in Rural American Indian Communities: the Strong Heart Food Environment Study
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-10918039 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $547,859 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL166200-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10918039 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are American Indian individuals living in rural communities who are affected by dietary issues and cardiovascular health concerns.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not belong to American Indian communities or those living in urban areas may not benefit from this research.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fretts, Amanda Mae — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Fretts, Amanda Mae
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.