Building Food Sovereignty and Better Health Through Tradition-Centered Farming in Environmentally Impacted Native American Communities

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are conducting a study to support the Ramapough Nation of northern New Jersey by advancing traditional farming practices and strategies that promote sustainable food systems. The study aims to address local food insecurity, nutritional deficiencies, prevent disease, and promote health. It also assesses environmental contamination levels, individual toxicant burdens, micronutrient status, and health conditions among Ramapough Tribal members aged 18 to 80 years. The intervention involves providing the tribe with nutrition-rich foods and recipes for healthy cooking, building on an 11-year Tribal-academic partnership. This includes working with the Ramapough-leased Munsee Three Sisters Medicinal farm, which grows produce on clean soil to support healthy plant production and restore soil health. The approach incorporates community-based citizen science to test soil, plants, and surface water in areas where residents live, recreate, and attend church. Participants will complete in-person or online surveys about demographics, health, food intake, nutrition, food security, and psychosocial stressors. Core body measurements such as height, weight, body mass index, body circumference, and blood pressure will be taken at enrollment. Researchers will collect urine and blood samples to measure individual contaminant burdens and micronutrient levels. The study will measure the proportion of individuals with heavy metals in home water and biospecimens, micronutrient deficiencies, and health disorders over an average of two years to inform health promotion and community action.

Assessing and Addressing Community Exposures to Environmental Contaminants