# MALAMA:  Backyard Aquaponics to Promote Healthy Eating and Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA · 2022 · $430,556

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Native Hawaiians (NH) have the highest mortality rates of cardiometabolic diseases, such as heart disease
and diabetes, and the lowest life expectancy compared to the other major ethnic groups in Hawai‘i. NH face
environmental and economic barriers to healthy eating, which can decrease cardiometabolic risks. They are
overrepresented in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods with limited healthy food options, and are also
more likely to face food insecurity. The objective of the proposed study is to test the efficacy of MALAMA, a
culturally-grounded family-centered backyard aquaponics intervention, to increase consumption of healthy
foods, reduce food insecurity, and mitigate cardiometabolic risks in multiple NH communities.
Specific Aim 1: Test the efficacy of the MALAMA intervention in increasing consumption of healthy
foods and reducing food insecurity in three Native Hawaiian communities. We hypothesize that
participants in the intervention group will have greater improvements in healthy food consumption and food
security post-intervention compared to participants randomized to the wait-list control group and will maintain
these improvements at 12-month follow up. We will implement MALAMA in three Hawaiian Homestead
communities using a stepped-wedge wait-list randomized controlled trial design. We will recruit a total of 180
individuals from the three community sites (60 families), and families will be randomly assigned to the
intervention group or the wait-list control group at each site. We will assess changes in consumption of healthy
foods, food insecurity, and other factors related to healthy eating at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-year
follow-up. Specific Aim 2: Determine the impact of the MALAMA intervention on clinical indicators of
cardiometabolic disease risk. We hypothesize that participants in the intervention group will have greater
improvements in clinical indicators post-intervention compared with participants randomized to the wait-list
control group and will maintain these improvements at 12-month follow up. We will measure changes in
cardiometabolic disease risk by tracking participants’ blood pressure, cholesterol, HbA1C, body mass index
(BMI), and hip-waist measurements to assess changes in cardiometabolic disease risk at baseline, post-
intervention, and 1-year follow-up. Specific Aim 3: Identify facilitators and barriers to sustainability of
backyard aquaponics. We will conduct interviews with the MALAMA participants and Lima Kokua peer
leaders at one-year follow-up. We will identify facilitators and barriers to sustaining an aquaponics system. The
findings will allow us to strengthen the MALAMA intervention for broader application in other NH communities.
Successful completion of these aims will meet the Healthy People 2030 goal of increasing healthy eating
among disparate populations. It will also meet NIMHD goals of reducing health disparities in underserved and
underrepresented populati...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10556972
- **Project number:** 2U54MD007601-36
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA
- **Principal Investigator:** Jane  Chung-Do
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $430,556
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-09-23 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10556972

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10556972, MALAMA:  Backyard Aquaponics to Promote Healthy Eating and Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk (2U54MD007601-36). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10556972. Licensed CC0.

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