Monday, Jan 10 2011 10:50PM
A new report highlights the importance of healthy eating advocacy for Native Americans.
Despite the stereotype that eating disorders are only a problem among whites, a new report finds that Native Americans suffer from them just as often, emphasizing the need for Native American programs to reinforce healthy eating.
The study, published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, found similarities between white and Native American women in terms of binge eating, purging or being officially diagnosed with an eating disorder, showing that the issue crossed racial lines.
"This commonality between NA and white women refutes the myth that eating disorders are problems that only affect white girls and women," said Professor Ruth Striegel-Moore from Wesleyan University in Connecticut
The report also found that Native American women were more likely to have eating disorders when compared to Native American men, again mirroring the trend of the population as a whole.
Poor nutrition may also contribute to high levels of diabetes and other disorders among the population. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Indian Health Service, Native Americans and Alaska Natives are 2.2 times more likely than whites to have diabetes.