Indigenous food sovereignty (IFS) represents a community-led movement with potential to reduce health inequities, but no scoping review of the impact of taking an IFS approach on intervention research has been conducted. This review sought to: 1) describe intervention studies that employ IFS principles, and 2) describe the impact of studies using IFS principles on food access, eating patterns, diet quality, physical activity, and health. Through a literature review, 4 IFS principles were identified: 1) community ownership, 2) inclusion of traditional food knowledge, 3) inclusion and promotion of cultural foods, and 4) environmental/intervention sustainability. Twenty intervention studies published between January 1, 2000 and February 5, 2020 were included. Most of the studies that scored high in IFS principles saw a positive impact on diet. This review found evidence supporting the value of IFS principles in the development, implementation, and evaluation of health interventions for Indigenous communities.
Published: July 2021
Journal: Curr Dev Nutr
Authors: Maudrie TL, Colón-Ramos U, Harper KM, Jock BW, Gittelsohn J
Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Adults and Families, Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)
Race/Ethnicity: American Indian
Keywords: Community setting, Food insecurity, Food systems
Focus Areas: Diet Quality & Healthy Weight, Healthy Communities
Resource Type: Journal Article
State: Tribal Nation
Related Research
May 2026
A Pediatric Perspective on the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines
Clear, evidence-based guidance on what foods and beverages children and adolescents should consume—and in what amounts—is foundational for promoting healthy growth and preventing diet-related chronic disease across the life course. Yet many children and adolescents in the US continue to have diets of poor nutritional quality. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), issued every 5 MoreMay 2026
A Snapshot of Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)
This resource, developed in partnership with Public Health Communications Collaborative, provides a snapshot of the most recent changes to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), including which foods adults should eat to maintain health and reduce the risk of chronic disease, which foods should be limited based on a standard 2000-calorie diet, and what to MoreApril 2026