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B1 Washing people | B2 Washing clothes and bedding | B3 Removing waste water safely | B4 Improving nutrition – the ability to store, prepare and cook food | B5 Reducing the impacts of over-crowding | B6 Reducing the negative effects of animals, insects and vermin | B7 Reducing the health impacts of dust | B8 Controlling the temperature of the living environment | B9 Reducing hazards that cause minor injury (trauma)

B4 Improving nutrition – the ability to store, prepare and cook food

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Indigenous people have high rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and renal disease. The primary determinants of these conditions are poor diet and lack of exercise. Poor nutrition is also a critical determinant of infectious diseases in children. In remote locations, changing to a healthy diet is complicated by factors such as low household income, high cost of food, local store management practices, and the ability to store, prepare and cook food at home.

A reliable water supply is critical for improving nutrition. Drinking water is essential for life and potable water is also required for cooking and mixing food, cleaning food utensils and cooking equipment, and for washing teeth and dental appliances.

When designing a house, consult residents about their cooking preferences. Consider the type of foods that are stocked in the local store and find out what foods might be gathered from gardens, the sea or the bush. Find out how many people are likely to use the house, whether these people belong to different family or generational groups, what traditions the family observe about the cooking and eating of food, and whether the kitchen might be used by people with disabilities. Ask about how food is prepared and what types of stoves, ovens, appliances and utensils are used for cooking. This information indicates the ways that food might be stored, prepared and cooked in and around the house and is essential for the design of indoor and outdoor kitchens that will suit the needs of residents.

The survey data show that only about five per cent of houses have all the health hardware needed to perform this fundamental healthy living practice. Most kitchen areas in surveyed houses showed poor design and construction, use of poor quality materials and health hardware, and a lack of maintenance. The poorest performing items in the house were: