Comparison of measures of diet quality using 24-hour recall data of First Nations adults living on reserves in Canada

Malek Batal,Hing Man Chan,Louise Johnson-Down,Peter Berti,Karen Fediuk,Tonio Sadik,Amy Ing

doi:10.17269/s41997-021-00489-5

Abstract

ObjectiveAssess the diet quality of First Nations adults in Canada using percentage energy from traditional foods (TF) and ultra-processed products (UPP), food portions from the 2007 Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide - First Nations, Inuit and Métis (EWCFG-FNIM) and a Healthy Eating Index (HEI).MethodsData collection for this participatory research occurred in 92 First Nations reserves across Canada from 2008 to 2016. Percent daily energy intakes were estimated from 24-hour recalls for TF and NOVA food categories. Portions of food groups from the 2007 EWCFG-FNIM were compared to recommendations. A Canadian-adapted HEI was calculated for each participant.ResultsThe percent energy from TF was 3% for all participants and 18% for consumers. Meat and alternatives were above the EWCFG-FNIM recommendations and all other food groups were below these. HEI was “low” with only older individuals attaining “average” scores. HEI was above “average” in 4 regions. UPP represented 55% of energy, the largest proportion from a NOVA category.ConclusionThe diet quality of First Nations adults in Canada is nutritionally poor. The nutrition, food security and health of First Nations would be improved by better access to TF and healthy store-bought food. However, poor diet is only one aspect of the difficulties facing First Nations in Canada. Researchers and policy makers must strive to better understand the multiple challenges facing First Nations Peoples in order to foster empowerment and self-determination to develop First Nations living conditions and lifestyles that are more culturally sound and more conducive to health.

Highlights

Indigenous Peoples everywhere have been undergoing a nutrition transition as an outcome of global population growth and changes to food networks and supplies (Cunningham 2010)
We propose to compare various methods used to assess diet quality using data from the First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study (FNFNES)
Upon completion of data collection and analysis, knowledge transfer workshops were held in First Nations communities, and leadership and members were presented with their community’s results; these were discussed at length and their representativeness evaluated by community members

Summary

Introduction

Indigenous Peoples everywhere have been undergoing a nutrition transition as an outcome of global population growth and changes to food networks and supplies (Cunningham 2010). Indigenous Peoples in Canada have been experiencing significantly decreased access to and reliance on traditional foods (TF) obtained through hunting, fishing, gathering and agriculture (Batal et al 2018b; Kuhnlein 2015; Morrison 2020) This change is largely rooted in the ongoing impacts from colonial assimilation policies which have led to the environmental dispossession of land from First Nations territories and a consequential inability to maintain highly localized sustainable food systems (Adelson 2005; Egeland and Harrison 2013; Morrison 2020; Reading 2018; Turner et al 2013). The current socio-economic climate continues to favour largescale industrialized agriculture, forestry and mining activities that impact TF systems through reductions in available habitat, species diversity and population numbers, along with contamination of TF (Chan et al 2006; Ford 2012; Kuhnlein 2015; Turner et al 2013)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion