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J. Wong(1), BW. Jock(1) (1)School of Human Nutrition (SHN), Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment (CINE) at McGill University, Montréal, QC

Knowledge translation (KT) research in nutrition seeks to bridge the gap between research findings and application to address health inequities. Despite the increasing emphasis on engaging Indigenous communities in research, our understanding of effective community engagement for KT in an Indigenous context is limited. Further, no previous research has studied the role of traditional foods in supporting community engagement to achieve KT for addressing nutrition-related health inequities of Indigenous peoples.

This study examines the role of traditional foods in supporting community engagement and KT outcomes within the context of the Food, Environment, Health and Nutrition of FNs Children and Youth (FEHNCY) study.

Data was collected using a total of 20 in-depth interviews with community partners, FEHNCY staff and researchers followed by 3 modified Talking Circles. A realist evaluation approach was used to analyze the contexts, mechanisms and outcomes of traditional foods community engagement for achieving KT.

The local impacts of colonized land and forced assimilation were crucial elements of the community context to understand the socio-economic challenges in preserving traditional food practices. The COVID-19 pandemic limited in-person food-sharing events and having community-specific traditional foods which were highlighted as important interventions to trigger mechanisms of building trust and valuing Indigenous knowledge systems. KT outcomes included community-reflective results and improved research quality for changes in household practices, multi-sectorial community program planning and anticipated advocacy for regional and national policies. Additional outcomes were a strengthened sense of identity contributing to wholistic health and increased research capacity.

Our findings highlight how traditional foods support relationship-building and cultural safety through community engagement interventions with FNs communities which are vital for supporting KT.

This is the first study to highlight how traditional foods support community engagement, and supporting KT outcomes in nutrition and health research with FNs communities.

Indigenous Services Canada, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (1920-HQ-000017)