Navajos and other Native Americans are having a big impact on the lives of millions of Americans, and a new study shows how we can be proactive about what we eat and how we spend our money.
Navajo women and men are spending an average of $30,000 more per year than other Americans, according to the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
And the gap is even wider for women.
The median American spends $7,500 more per person on food per year, compared with $6,900 for men.
The study authors say the findings underscore the importance of taking action on health.
Navajos are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the U.S., making up more than 15 percent of the country’s total population.
Their traditional diets include traditional foods, such as corn, beans and potatoes.
They also eat mostly meat and dairy, which is considered a high-calorie source of saturated fat and cholesterol.
Navales also make up a third of the U