Relationship Between Food Insecurity and Healthy Eating Behavior for Gestational Diabetes Risk Reduction Among American Indian and Alaska Native Adolescent and Young Adult Females: A Qualitative Exploration.

Objective: To understand the perspectives of key informant experts regarding the relationship between food insecurity and gestational diabetes mellitus risk reduction behaviors among young American Indian and Alaska Native females.
Methods: Participants were adult key informants with expertise in food/nutrition and health within Tribal communities (N = 58) across the US. Data were collected through 1:1 interviews using a semistructured moderator guide and analyzed using thematic content analysis methods.
Results: Three themes included (1) diet and nutrition habits are formed through intergenerational food preferences and are driven by lasting implications of colonization; (2) young people are influenced by what their peers eat and the food environment, including outside of the home; and (3) the methods used to understand household food insecurity and nutrition habits in the parent study were likely limited.
Conclusions and Implications: Findings provide guidance as to where nutrition education and interventions may best support young Native females.
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