The Anishinaabe (Laurentian Great Lakes Ojibwe/Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi) are traditionally a fishing culture 8 but now they only consume one third of the daily fish intake recommended by many federal agencies.9-11 Ongoing concern regarding Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics (PBTs) in the Great Lakes has resulted in over 20 years of fish consumption advisories. These advisories are often seen as unwelcome to the Anishinaabe given the cultural context. There is evidence that this leads to: cultural loss, unnecessary PBT exposures, and poor diet (exemplified by reduced intake of beneficial Poly-Unsaturated Omega-3 Fatty Acids).10,12-17 The proposed team has piloted a culturally tailored, interactive, personalized fish consumption advisory, ?Gigiigooinaan? (Our Fish), that holds great potential to transform fish consumption advice in the region.26 Previous research in the tribal fisheries and new risk assessment methods have revealed that it may be possible to consistently benefit from these fish without incurring excess risks. To promote environmental health in these tribal communities it is important that research programs demonstrate an ability to communicate the benefits of fish without increasing PBT exposure. Since Gigiigoo?inaan has not yet been released to the public there is an opportunity to evaluate its effects on dietary choices in an experimental setting. Optimizing intakes of nutritional benefits versus PBTs decreases the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, metabolic disorders, depression, and developmental deficits.11, 16, 17, 20, 52, 78-85 This also empowers the Anishinaabe to maintain a culture which emphasizes subsistence of fish and game. The team will build off 13 years of collaboration to update and test the App which will conveniently summarize personalized advice using data collected by the tribes. The Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA) will collect data that update previous monitoring efforts in collaboration with grant objectives and to update Gigiigooinan.26 The effect of the advisory on biologically and culturally relevant behaviors will be experimentally tested. The proposed work is based on requests made by tribal officials and researchers who are imbedded in the community and has been developed with their input. The analysis will provide vital information regarding: 1) the latest risk/benefit advice for tribal harvests of fish, 2) how a novel tool affects exposures and nutrition of the target population, and 3) perceptions of culturally tailored outreach methods that may vary depending on tribal affiliation.
The proposal employs personalized consumption advice using mobile/web browser technology to address the needs and concerns of Great Lakes Native Americans who consume fish. Those include: establishing impactful methods to promote traditional diets while reducing health risks associated with chemical contaminants, setting a culturally-responsive foundation for evaluations of human exposures, and establishing a methodology to promote natural resources within research that aims to reduce chemical exposures. These communities are particularly vulnerable to the morbidities associated with contaminants and poor nutrition, namely: metabolic diseases, inflammatory diseases, childhood neurological development, and cancer.
