Ngarrindjeri Elders drive ‘very good foods’ diabetes program on Country

A new Aboriginal-led health initiative on Ngarrindjeri Ruwe (Country) in South Australia’s Lower River Murray, Lakes, and Coorong region has completed a pilot exploring a culturally grounded approach to tackling type 2 diabetes.

The program – Nra:gi Ya:yun, meaning ‘very good foods’ or ‘very good eating’ in Ngarrindjeri language – is a 28-week co-designed low-carbohydrate remission pilot created with Ngarrindjeri Elders, community members, clinicians and researchers.

Details of the program have been published in the journal BMJ Open in a study led by Flinders University and the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network.

Type 2 diabetes affects 10.7 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults – driven by the ongoing impacts of colonisation, disrupted food systems and social determinants of health. Aboriginal people are three times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and five times more likely to die from it than non-Indigenous Australians.

Principal Investigator Associate Professor Courtney Ryder said the project emerged from community-driven conversations.

“Nra:gi Ya:yun responds to that call by honouring lived experience and cultural foundations that guide wellbeing” Associate Professor Ryder said (via media release).

Ten co-design workshops shaped the model with community leaders strongly favouring a low-carbohydrate approach backed by emerging evidence.

“Low‑carb nutrition can support metabolic improvements but community‑led delivery is the essential ingredient” Associate Professor Ryder said.

Participants progressed through a control period, a 12-week remission phase, and a maintenance phase. Supports included fresh meal boxes, continuous glucose monitoring, yarning sessions and tailored resources. Group yarning provided a culturally safe way to share experiences, build trust, and strengthen motivation.

Project coordinator Shanti Omodei-James said the program works to honour the lived experience of its participants and support them along their remission journey.

The pilot will determine feasibility for a larger clinical trial and explore early metabolic and wellbeing outcomes. The project is supported by a Medical Research Future Fund grant and partnerships with the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network, Moorundi Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service and several food industry partners.