Physical activity patterns of American Indian and Alaskan Native people living in Alaska and the Southwestern United States.

PURPOSE: Assessment of self-reported physical activity (PA) and effects on health measures. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a cohort study. SETTING: Education and Research Towards Health study participants from Alaska and the Southwestern United States enrolled from 2004 to 2007. SUBJECTS: Total of 10,372 American Indian and Alaskan Native people (AI/AN) of at least 18 years. MEASURES: Participants completed computer-assisted, self-administered questionnaires, and anthropometric and health measurements were taken of each participant. ANALYSIS: Analysis of variance, chi2 tests, and multiple linear regressions were used. RESULTS: Almost 23% of participants reported less than 30 minutes per week of moderate or vigorous activities. Half (49%) reported no vigorous activities. Characteristics associated with more time spent performing vigorous activity were male gender, age less than 40 years, higher income and education levels, and living in a rural area. Almost 70% of Alaskan participants and 36% of Southwest participants engaged in wild food-harvesting activities. Participants with higher levels of activity had significantly better clinical characteristics (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, body mass index, and waist circumference). CONCLUSION: AI/AN people engage in many different physical activities, including traditional harvesting activities. Women had lower levels of PA than men, and participation in vigorous PA was associated with better clinical characteristics. These data can be used to guide health promotion efforts in AI/AN populations.

Traditional foods and physical activity patterns and associations with cultural factors in a diverse Alaska Native population.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of traditional food and physical activity use and associations with cultural factors among 3,830 Alaska Native and American Indian (AN/AI) people enrolled in the Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study in 3 regions of Alaska. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a cohort study. METHODS: Participants (2,323 women and 1,507 men) completed a computer-assisted self-administered questionnaire that included information on diet, physical activity, life-style and cultural factors. RESULTS: Over 92% of participants reported eating at least 1 traditional food in the past year. The top 3 traditional foods reported were fish, moose and agutaq (a mixture of berries and fat). The percentage of people who consumed traditional foods varied by region and age but not by sex (p < 0.01). Almost 70% of participants engaged in at least one traditional harvesting physical activity. Picking berries or greens, cutting/smoking fish or meat and fishing were the most common activities. Participation in traditional physical activity was highest in south-west Alaska and was higher among men than women, but did not differ by age (p < 0.01). Both traditional food and physical activity were associated with greater tribal self-identification, speaking a Native language at home, using traditional remedies and participating in or attending traditional events (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The EARTH Study found relationships between traditional food use, physical activities, cultural activities and behaviours. Consumption of a variety of traditional foods and participation in traditional physical activities remain an important part of the contemporary Alaska Native life-style. Efforts to promote and sustain these foods and activities in AN/AI populations may lead to improved health outcomes.