Engaging Tribal Policymakers to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in a Multicomponent Obesity Prevention Study

American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest rates of obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases of any ethnic group in the United States. While policy is increasingly being investigated as a valuable tool for promoting healthy eating and increased physical activity, there is a paucity of this research and investigation in tribal government settings. The OPREVENT2 trial is a planned multi-institutional obesity prevention program (with intervention components working with stores, worksites, schools, mass media, and policymakers) to improve access to healthy foods and increase physical activity for six American Indian communities (3 intervention, 3 delayed intervention). Formative research for the OPREVENT2 trial will focus on developing a policy intervention component in partnership with tribal policymakers and piloting this new component in two communities prior to the OPREVENT2 intervention. Formative research will focus on addressing barriers to developing, implementing, and evaluating health promotion policies and working with tribal leaders to address these barriers using community-based participatory research methods. The policy-based intervention will facilitate the development of tribal or community-level and/or institutional policies (for stores, schools, and worksites) to promote healthy eating and physical activity by providing capacity building as well as assist in evaluating currently enacted policies aiming to impact obesity in participating communities.