What people eat has a powerful impact on their health. Nutition plays an integral part in many of our most prevalent diseases, including diabetes mellitus, heart disease, stroke, obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, certain cancers (breast and colon, e.g.), and osteoporosis. The Indian Health Service is working both to improve the health of patients with nutrition related diseases, and to prevent these illnesses in future generations through interventions in schools, community health programs and hospital and clinic based services.