Interventions and Programs Using Native Foods to Promote Health: A Scoping Review

Abstract

(1) Background: Native foods are essential for promoting health, sustainability, and the resilience of Indigenous communities. They contribute to biodiversity, are adapted to local ecosystems, and support cultural identity. This study aims to identify and describe strategies and health outcomes from programs and interventions using native foods to promote health or address food insecurity. (2) Methods: A scoping review was conducted using five databases, including studies that implemented interventions using native foods exclusively or combined with introduced foods (non-native). The review included studies involving human participants and reporting outcomes related to health, nutritional improvements, food security, or cultural impacts. (3) Results: Nineteen studies were included. Most interventions (n = 16) combined native foods with introduced healthy foods and implemented multicomponent strategies to promote their intake (n = 15), such as educational sessions, food distribution, gardening, cooking activities, community events, media campaigns, and policy changes. Of the 19 studies, 12 explicitly used a participatory method. Reported outcomes included improved dietary intake and nutrient intake, such as increased intake of vitamin A, calcium, and iron; enhanced knowledge about native foods and healthy eating; improved health; positive cultural impacts; and enhanced food security. (4) Conclusions: The results from this scoping review suggest that interventions using native foods show promising results in improving health, nutritional outcomes, cultural identity, and food security, highlighting their potential for broader public health applications and the value of participatory approaches for sustainable interventions.

Keywords: First Nations peoples; Indigenous peoples; health promotion; native food; traditional food.

Figure 1

Flowchart of identification and screening process for selection of records assessing interventions and programs using native foods to promote health.

Figure 2

Distribution of intervention activities and main outcomes. * Introduced foods—non-native foods. ** Although studies showed improvements in various outcomes, they also reported mixed or unintended results, such as a reduction in specific nutrients (e.g., vitamin C) or associations of food security with grocery stores instead of native foods. NF—Native Foods; PTN—Protein; CHO—Carbohydrate; Vit—Vitamin; LC n-3 PUFA—Long-Chain Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid; HDL—High-Density Lipoprotein; BMI—Body Mass Index.