Diabetes on the Navajo nation: what role can gardening and agriculture extension play to reduce it?

Urban Farm DB summary

This article reviews the development of diabetes on the Navajo Nation, a serious health problem correlated with income, poor diet, and limited physical exercise. It explores the potential role of home and community gardening in diabetes reduction, building on the Navajo tradition of farming. The benefits identified include locally grown nutritious food, physical activity from gardening, income savings or sales, and positive mental outlook. The article proposes a multidisciplinary approach involving public health officials, nutritionists, and horticultural extension agents.