Nutrition & Diabetes

Nutrition Services

The California Rural Indian Health Board's Department of Family and Community Health Services provides nutrition services and activities for health professionals and paraprofessionals working in Indian controlled health programs. Stacey Kennedy, MS, RD, is our Public Health Nutritionist.

The CRIHB nutritionist provides assists local health programs in all areas of nutrition including diabetes, childhood feeding and weight management issues.  The nutritionist helps to develop, coordinate and conduct training conferences, participates in related nutrition and health education, assist local health programs in the planning, implementation and evaluation of nutrition programs in the areas of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, nutrition through the lifecycle, obesity prevention and native foods. The nutritionist also provides training, technical assistance, curriculum development and menus for Head Start Centers.

The CRIHB nutrition program can provide on site technical assistance to clinics to assist with the development of preventative health programs as well as offer updated educational materials. The program provides Registered Dietitians working in at Indian clinics with continuous national updates, continuing education units and relevant information on nutrition programming within the American Indian clinic setting.

The Cancer Prevention and Nutrition Section  

Network for a Healthy California

CRIHB receives funding from The Network, which represents a statewide movement of local, state and national partners collectively working toward improving the health status of low-income Californians through increased fruit and vegetable consumption and daily physical activity.  Multiple venues are used to facilitate behavior change in the homes, schools, worksites, and communities of low-income Californians to create environments that support fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity.  For more information, resources and to find out about funding visit www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/CPNS/Pages/default.aspx.

NCCIC 2009 Roster

Nutrition Council of California Indian Clinics

Goals: to promote quality nutrition care throughout California Native American Communities by supporting the continuing education and communication of the nutritionist who work in the Native American communities. This is accomplished by providing the nutritionist with orientation, education, insights and examples of effective nutritional programs for the Native American communities.

Communication of ideas and training of nutrition professionals to optimally present culturally specific and culturally sensitive education is essential to successful nutrition interventions within Native American communities. For a copy of the NCCIC membership roster click here.

Background on the Council: The Nutrition Council was formed in 1987 to help facilitate the networking and some continuing education of nutritionists who work within 638 Contract facilities in California. The group plans and implements yearly meeting for nutritionists. In the past the California Area Office of Indian Health Services has supported the programs. Due to the down sizing of the Area Office there is no longer a nutrition consultant/advocate. The Area Office has also withdrawn monetary support of this annual meeting as many of the clinics have pulled their tribal shares. The NCCIC now relies on the support of the American Indian clinics in California to send a nutrition representative to the yearly meeting.

NCCIC Membership Information: The Council is made up of nutritionist/or dietitians from dues paying agencies ($40/agency/year) throughout the state of California working in IHS funded and Native American health organizations.

The NCCIC meets a minimum of four (4) meetings and/or conference calls annually. One of the meetings is concurrent with the Annual NCCIC Conference. For information of the NCCIC Annual Meeting or to become a member please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Diabetes and American Indians

Diabetes is more of a threat to American Indians than any other disease in history. In some tribal communities half of all adults have this serious disease. Many American Indian tribes have experienced an epidemic of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (Type 2) in recent years. The overall prevalence of diabetes among American Indians and Alaska Natives combined is nine percent (approximately 176,000 cases). On average, they are 2.8 times as likely to have diagnosed diabetes as non-Hispanic whites. Available data may underestimate they true prevalence of diabetes in American Indians.  Until recently, type 2 diabetes was rarely diagnosed in children and adolescents; however, it is now common among American Indian children ages 10 and older. This increased prevalence appears to be related to sudden shifts toward sedentary life-style and increased calorie intake. These changes, superimposed on a genetic predisposition to diabetes, pose a series risk factor to Native American children throughout California. Complications from diabetes are major causes of death and health problems in most Native American Populations. The serious complications of diabetes are increasing in frequency. Of major concern are increasing rates of kidney failure, amputations and blindness. The death rates for diabetes in American Indians is estimated to be 4.3 times the rate in non-Hispanic whites.

Your chances of getting diabetes are even greater if:
➢    You are overweight
➢    You have a family member with diabetes or
➢    You had diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)

CRIHB Diabetes Program Activities

The CRIHB physician, public health nurse and registered dietitian distribute, assist with and review five grant application packages to be submitted to IHS for the IHS Special Diabetes for Indians funding.  This provides the tribal organization with any necessary technical assistance to produce a quality diabetes program.
 
The CRIHB physician, the public health nurse and the registered dietitian are available to conduct on-site diabetes presentations and site visits for health program staff and community members. Updated, culturally appropriate educational materials are developed or purchased and provided to CRIHB member programs. For more information contact Stacey Kennedy at (916) 929-9761 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it