Using food systems to foster Indigenous youth leadership in global health

First paragraph: In October 2023, I was very fortunate to have been invited to attend a Global Indigenous Youth Forum where Indigenous youth from all over the world gathered. At the forum, there was a large focus on environmentalism, Indigenous youth advocacy, and protecting cultural diets and Indige­nous food systems through combining traditional and Western science. Cultural diets are the tradi­tional diets of Indigenous peoples, and are “derived from the land” (Native Women’s Association of Canada, 2012, p. 10). These were all incredibly important discussions, and it was inspirational to see Indigenous youth from all over the world advocate for one another despite speaking different languages and having different backgrounds. But I also noticed that the connection between Indige­nous food systems and health was glossed over. As a Cree-Saulteaux Indigenous youth, I grew up hear­ing that food is an important aspect of health, and the dietary decisions we make affect our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness. Especially given that many diseases within Indigenous com­munities, including my own, are diet-related, I was inspired to write this commentary to advocate for the link between Indigenous food systems and health, and to advocate for global Indigenous youth leadership within global health. . . .