Unnatural Causes: Bad Sugar Video Analysis

The Unnatural Causes: Bad Sugar video, discusses the diabetes problem among the Tohono O’odham and Pima Native American tribes. The video also shares information on the destruction of the Native American communities that contributed to the demise of the good health that Native American’s once had. Additionally, the video shares how Native Americans’ food diets were affected by the loss of water. Lastly, there are key members of the Native American communities featured in this video, sharing about their efforts to re-build the Native American communities.
The Tohono O’odham tribe reportedly has the highest rate of type II diabetes in the world. Half of the adults in the tribe have diabetes and the rates for children with diabetes are increasing. The Pima tribe also has a high rate of diabetes and it is suggested that it is due to the loss of water in the Pima community. The Pima tribe depended on the Gila River as an essential water source to grow their food until the water was diverted to white settlers for their own personal use. The loss of water lead

to many Pima’s dying from starvation. Additionally, only one case of diabetes existed before the water was diverted to white settlers. After the water was taken from the Pima’s, the Coolage dam was built to help restore water availability for the Pima’s. However, there was still not enough water available and there were more than 500 cases of diabetes found in the Pima population.
The lack of water contributed to Native Americans living in poverty.

Half of Pima and Tohono O’odham tribes are living below poverty level, which is a social determinant that increases the risk of contracting diabetes. According to the video populations with low income have more than twice of the susceptibility of contracting diabetes than populations with higher income. The U.S. military tried to curb the affects of poverty among the Native American tribes by providing commodity food. However, the downside of this service was the fact that the commodity food consisted of unhealthy foods that contribute to increasing the risks of contracting diabetes. Foods items like, white flour, sugar, candy, chips, and other unhealthy food were given to the tribes. Consequently the tribes made unhealthy foods with the ingredients, like fry bread, which is actually not a traditional food because it derived from the commodity

food.
Luckily, there are key members of the Native American community that have been working endlessly to provide a sufficient amount of water to Native American tribes with strong efforts and plans rebuild Native American communities. In 2004, Native American Rod Lewis was successful in framing water rights for Native Americans in Arizona. I think it is important for key members of Native American communities to focus on health education among their tribes. Educating tribes on proper food choices, healthy meal preparations, and highlighting the health affects of poor dieting and lack of exercise should be a mainstay in community education. This will promote long-term health and also reduce the risk of contracting diabetes