States, many still abide by traditional practices by living in dwellings built on the bayou and accessible only by boat, relying on hunting and fishing for food and income, and instilling a strong sense of maintaining these cultural components for younger and future generations.
Meal planning for the Cajun culture presents additional challenges beyond those for the Creole culture. As a result of exile and oppression in earlier times, Cajuns came to rely on scarce resources to survive. Thus, although modern US society offers advances in technology and access to health information, the hearty and close-knit Cajuns often tend to stick to traditional practices. When compared to their non-Cajun neighbors, Cajuns tend to receive fewer vaccinations and utilize more tobacco and alcohol. Further, the Cajun population in certain areas of Louisiana was found to have a substantially higher incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) than the US general population. A smaller sample of Cajun participants indicated increased value in their traditional foods and way of life over their health. While the Cajun people may benefit from health education and social interventions, it is important for dietary professionals to understand the traditional practices and beliefs of the Cajun people in order to improve health outcomes, since they tend to remain isolated to some extent and hold beliefs that differ from the mainstream (8–10). Innovative interventions that cross cultural barriers are important for health promotion in this group (10). Aside from these issues particular to Cajuns, the overall emphasis for both Cajuns and Creoles should be on ultimately achieving the dietary guidelines that apply to the rest of the US population (4, 5).
