Exploring the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples regarding bush foods, nutrition and health: insights for culturally informed health policy in Australia

Abstract Objective: This study aims to explore the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children regarding Bush Foods, nutrition and health to advocate for future culturally informed programmes and policy. Design: The qualitative study conduc...

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Main Authors: Jessica Cartwright, Niall Turner, Sherie Bruce, Yasmina F. Sultanbawa, Michael E. Netzel, Olivia R.L. Wright
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-01-01
Series:Public Health Nutrition
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025100694/type/journal_article
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author Jessica Cartwright
Niall Turner
Sherie Bruce
Yasmina F. Sultanbawa
Michael E. Netzel
Olivia R.L. Wright
author_facet Jessica Cartwright
Niall Turner
Sherie Bruce
Yasmina F. Sultanbawa
Michael E. Netzel
Olivia R.L. Wright
author_sort Jessica Cartwright
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective: This study aims to explore the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children regarding Bush Foods, nutrition and health to advocate for future culturally informed programmes and policy. Design: The qualitative study conducted nine Yarning sessions, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive, reflexive thematic analysis using a codebook was employed to analyse the data. Setting: All Yarns were conducted face-to-face in various locations across Southeast Queensland. Participants: Yarning sessions were conducted with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants (n 20), including ten adults and ten children. Participants resided in areas classified as inner regional, outer regional and major cities. Results: Five interconnected themes were generated concerning participants’ perspectives on Bush Foods, nutrition and health. These themes included the effects of colonisation and bureaucratic impositions, socio-environmental factors influencing food provision, the significance of Bush Foods in cultural connection and nutritional health, the importance of reciprocity in communities and the nuanced role of agency influenced by education. Conclusions: The findings were synthesised into two overarching concepts: the role of family, kin and culture at the individual and community level, aligning with cultural determinants of Indigenous health, and the broader socio-political influences of colonialism, capitalism and power imbalances, reflecting social determinants of Indigenous health. This research highlights a need for culturally informed health policies guided by consideration of cultural, social and commercial determinants that support an Indigenised food system and Bush Food reintegration for urban-living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children.
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spelling doaj-art-27643eb2f9064b4bb2d1e17c038640a02025-08-20T03:03:11ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272025-01-012810.1017/S1368980025100694Exploring the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples regarding bush foods, nutrition and health: insights for culturally informed health policy in AustraliaJessica Cartwright0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4360-1151Niall Turner1Sherie Bruce2Yasmina F. Sultanbawa3Michael E. Netzel4Olivia R.L. Wright5School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaSchool of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaSchool of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Abstract Objective: This study aims to explore the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children regarding Bush Foods, nutrition and health to advocate for future culturally informed programmes and policy. Design: The qualitative study conducted nine Yarning sessions, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive, reflexive thematic analysis using a codebook was employed to analyse the data. Setting: All Yarns were conducted face-to-face in various locations across Southeast Queensland. Participants: Yarning sessions were conducted with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants (n 20), including ten adults and ten children. Participants resided in areas classified as inner regional, outer regional and major cities. Results: Five interconnected themes were generated concerning participants’ perspectives on Bush Foods, nutrition and health. These themes included the effects of colonisation and bureaucratic impositions, socio-environmental factors influencing food provision, the significance of Bush Foods in cultural connection and nutritional health, the importance of reciprocity in communities and the nuanced role of agency influenced by education. Conclusions: The findings were synthesised into two overarching concepts: the role of family, kin and culture at the individual and community level, aligning with cultural determinants of Indigenous health, and the broader socio-political influences of colonialism, capitalism and power imbalances, reflecting social determinants of Indigenous health. This research highlights a need for culturally informed health policies guided by consideration of cultural, social and commercial determinants that support an Indigenised food system and Bush Food reintegration for urban-living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025100694/type/journal_articlePublic healthFirst NationsBush foodsNutritionChildrenUrbanRegionalAboriginal health
spellingShingle Jessica Cartwright
Niall Turner
Sherie Bruce
Yasmina F. Sultanbawa
Michael E. Netzel
Olivia R.L. Wright
Exploring the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples regarding bush foods, nutrition and health: insights for culturally informed health policy in Australia
Public Health Nutrition
Public health
First Nations
Bush foods
Nutrition
Children
Urban
Regional
Aboriginal health
title Exploring the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples regarding bush foods, nutrition and health: insights for culturally informed health policy in Australia
title_full Exploring the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples regarding bush foods, nutrition and health: insights for culturally informed health policy in Australia
title_fullStr Exploring the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples regarding bush foods, nutrition and health: insights for culturally informed health policy in Australia
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples regarding bush foods, nutrition and health: insights for culturally informed health policy in Australia
title_short Exploring the perspectives of urban and regional living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples regarding bush foods, nutrition and health: insights for culturally informed health policy in Australia
title_sort exploring the perspectives of urban and regional living aboriginal and torres strait islander peoples regarding bush foods nutrition and health insights for culturally informed health policy in australia
topic Public health
First Nations
Bush foods
Nutrition
Children
Urban
Regional
Aboriginal health
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980025100694/type/journal_article
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