Can a change of diet from traditional (indigenous) to western have any discernable effect on one’s health and welfare?

Introduction
The Noonuccal and Goenpul tribes of the Quandamooka people are the traditional owners of Minjerribah, known as North Stradbroke Island (NSI) (Redland City Council [RCC], 2010b, para. 1-2). A description of Minjerribah‘s, location, climate, flora and fauna is followed by a dietary profile for a traditional diet and a typical western diet. The health of Indigenous societies as hunter-gatherers and the correlations between diet and disease for Australian Aboriginals is discussed. Concluding with how changing from a traditional indigenous diet to a western diet can have a discernible effect on one‘s health and welfare.
Geographical boundaries, climate, fauna, flora and how they influence the diet of the Noonuccal and Goenpul tribes
Minjerribah is situated within Moreton Bay, 30kms south east of Brisbane, east of Cleveland (RCC, 2010a para. 1 & 7) (Map A1). A subtropical climate and range of ecosystems on land and marine environment supports many flora and fauna (Stradbroke Island, 2011, para. 4-5). Fresh water is always available from natural springs and lakes (Welsby, 1917, p. 120) (Figure C1 &C2) (Map B2).
Wind and salt tolerant plants grow along frontal dunes (pigface, goat's foot), eucalypts dominate high dunes in open forest with acacia, banksia, tea-trees, grasses and creepers. Mangroves dominate tidal mudflats, seagrass beds provide food for dugongs. Roots, seeds, nuts, fungi, fruit and berries abound in forest, rainforest, fresh and salt water wetlands (Knight, Barry, McFarland, & Neal. 2010, para. 6; Liddy, n.d., para. 3-8).
The rocky shores, coral reefs, salt and fresh waters provide habitat for varieties of shellfish, fish, eels and other marine species including whale, dugong, dolphins, rays, turtles, snakes a...

... middle of paper ...

...treated hypertension and/or NIDDM and insulin resistance; conversely also exacerbating hypertension and NIDDM (NHMRC, 2000, p. 178).
Conclusion
A change of diet from traditional to western can have discernible effects on one’s health and welfare. As shown, diet is inversely related to health. In traditional societies, the synergy of diet and lifestyle were likely protective against lifestyle diseases (Cordain et al., 2002, s.42; NHMRC, 2000, p. 37). The change to a more sedentary lifestyle and westernised diet is the primary factor for patterns of disease seen in Aboriginal Australians (Smith and Smith, 2003, p. 48). Therefore, optimising nutritional intake by following priciples of a traditional diet, high protein, complex carbohydrates, high Ω3:Ω6 ratio, low salt, potentially contributes to improved health outcomes reducing the risk of developing chronic disease.