Grant: Project Grant

First Nations (FN) people are in the highest rank of risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in Canada. Manitoba has the highest rate of youth-onset T2D in the nation, and most of them living in rural or remote FN communities. Our recent database study demonstrates that breastfeeding initiation reduces the risk of T2DM in FN or non-FN mothers and their offspring in Manitoba. FN women have lower rate of breastfeeding initiation and shorter duration of breastfeeding compared to non-FN women in Manitoba. Current prenatal nutrition program include breastfeeding, but the participation of pregnant women in rural or remote communities to the prenatal classes was low. We propose to develop an audio/video education program for pregnant FN women to educate the importance and skills for breastfeeding with proper duration via local radio/TV broadcast or DVD education in collaboration with community partners. We will develop a website (accessible by smartphone) for a breastfeeding education and communication platform for pregnant women and new mothers in rural or remote FN communities. We conduct a community-based participatory study in 3 rural or remote communities in collaboration with local assistants to reduce barriers and examine the impact of smartphone-based breastfeeding educational program on the initiation and duration of breastfeeding in the communities compared to historical controls. The proposed studies will help community capacity building, barrier reduction and the development of educational tools for breastfeeding promotion in rural or remote FN communities. The outcome of the study will improve to long-term health of women and children by preventing obesity and T2D in rural-living FN women and children.