Using bilingual children's stories to improve nutrition and health in Indigenous communities
Official title: Promoting Linguistic and Cultural Identity through Bilingual Children's Stories to Address Nutrition and Health in Indigenous Communities
Funded at Transcendent International, LLC · NIH-10868573 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is all about helping American Indian and Alaska Native kids by creating fun bilingual ebooks that celebrate their languages and cultures, making reading a special activity for families while also teaching them about health and nutrition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Transcendent International, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $712,180 |
| NIH project number | 5R44MD017552-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10868573 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are American Indian and Alaska Native children aged 0-11 years and their families.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not belong to American Indian or Alaska Native communities may not receive benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on addressing health disparities among American Indian and Alaska Native children by promoting their linguistic and cultural identity through bilingual children's stories. The project aims to create a library of dynamic, bilingual ebooks in Native American languages and English, which will include interactive activities to encourage parent-child engagement in reading. By collaborating with indigenous community organizations, the research will develop tailored toolkits to implement these resources effectively and evaluate their impact on health and nutrition education. The approach emphasizes community involvement and the validation of indigenous knowledge systems to foster better health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved health and nutrition outcomes for Indigenous children by empowering them through their cultural identity.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that culturally relevant educational interventions can positively impact health outcomes in Indigenous populations, suggesting that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
Transcendent International, LLC
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Riestenberg, Katherine — Transcendent International, LLC
- Study coordinator: Riestenberg, Katherine
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.