The Contribution of Subsistence Foods to the Total Diet of Alaska Natives in 13 Rural Communities

The goal of this study was to describe the use of subsistence and purchased foods by residents of rural Alaska villages. Interviewers administered food frequency questionnaires referring to the previous 12 months to 665 participants between the ages of 13 and 88 years in 13 villages in three ecological zones of Alaska. Participants reported consuming a wide variety of subsistence foods, in some cases in large quantities, including salmon, other fish, moose, caribou, and a wide variety of plant foods. Subsistence foods were dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids. Participants also reported consuming purchased staples and sugared beverages.