Patterns of food use and nutrient intake of obese and non-obese Hualapai Indian women of Arizona

To document patterns of food use and nutrient intake associated with obesity in Native American women, a sample of 14 obese and 14 non-obese free-living Hualapai Indian women living in northwest Arizona was studied. Patterns of food use were determined through long-term observation, dietary histories, and 24-hour dietary recalls. Dietary intake was determined through 24-hour dietary recalls over 7 consecutive days. Patterns of food acquisition, selection, and preparation were similar for obese and non-obese Hualapai women. The diets of both groups were dominated by nonalcoholic beverages, patatoes, beans, white wheat flour, and canned goods. Wild and locally cultivated foods were not eaten on a regular basis. The diets of both the obese and non-obese women were high in energy (pooled mean ±standard deviation [SD] = 2,602 ± 766 kcal/day) and carbohydrates (pooled mean ±SD = 333.4 ± 95.6 gm/day), moderate in protein (pooled mean ±SD = 77.8 ± 20.9 gm/day) and fat (pooled mean ±SD = 101.1 ± 25.4 gm/day), and low in crude fiber (pooled mean ±SD = 4.7 ± 2.0 gm/day). The study indicates that significantly (p<.001) higher energy intakes of the obese women can be attributed to their greater consumption of nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages.