Traditional food intake is positively associated with diet quality among low-income, urban Alaska Native women

Our objectives were to understand the links between intake of traditional foods, food security and diet quality in low-income Alaska Native women living in an urban center. Seventy-three Alaska Native women completed two 24-hour dietary recalls, a food frequency questionnaire, and the USDA Adult Food Security Survey Module. An increase in 10% calories from traditional foods (equivalent to approximately 195 kcals) was associated with a 7.3 point increase on the Healthy Eating Index , a measure of diet quality (scale is 0-100). Findings highlight the importance of policies and programs that ensure consistent access to traditional foods in urban areas.