The Journal of Nutrition Vol. 127 No. 10 October 1997, pp. 2078S-2084S
Copyright ©1997 by the American Society for Nutritional Sciences

Rationale, Design and Methodology for the Navajo Health and Nutrition Survey

Linda L. White^*, , Howard I. Goldberg, Tim J. Gilbert^**, Carol Ballew, James M. Mendlein, Douglas G. Peter, Christopher A. Percy, and Ali H. Mokdad

^* Kayenta Service Unit, Navajo Area Indian Health Service, Kayenta, AZ 86033;  Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; ^** University of Washington School of Medicine, Native American Center for Excellence, Seattle, WA;  Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA;  Navajo Area Indian Health Service, Window Rock, AZ 86515; and  Community Health Services, Shiprock Service Unit, Navajo Area Indian Health Service, Shiprock, AZ

As recently as 1990, there was no reservation-wide, population-based health status information about Navajo Indians. To remedy this shortcoming, the Navajo Health and Nutrition Survey was conducted from 1991 to 1992 to assess the health and nutritional status of Navajo Reservation residents using a population-based sample. Using a three-stage design, a representative sample of reservation households was selected for inclusion. All members of selected households 12 y of age and older were invited to participate. A total of 985 people in 459 households participated in the study. Survey protocols were modeled on those of previous national surveys and included a standard blood chemistry profile, complete blood count, oral glucose tolerance test, blood pressure, anthropometric measurements, a single 24-h dietary recall and a questionnaire on health behaviors. The findings from this survey, reported in the accompanying papers, inform efforts to prevent and control chronic disease among the Navajo. Lessons learned from this survey may be of interest to those conducting similar surveys in other American Indian and Alaska Native populations.