Importance of the traditional food systems for First Nations adults living on reserves in Canada

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

doi:10.17269/s41997-020-00353-y

Abstract

ObjectiveTo describe the traditional food (TF) systems of First Nations in Canada, including intake, barriers and promoters.MethodsThe First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study is a cross-Canada participatory study of First Nations adults below the 60th parallel that obtained data for communities excluded from other national studies. A food frequency questionnaire was used to establish frequency of TF intake (number of days in a year) to allow comparisons across ecozones/regions in Canada. Grams of TF intake were also calculated using frequency multiplied by average portions from 24-h recalls. Closed- and open-ended questions attempted to identify some of the key barriers and concerns regarding TF access and use. Multivariable analyses were run to determine what factors are associated with increased TF consumption.ResultsAcross communities, there is a strong preference by adults to have TF in the diet more often. Consumption of land animals was most frequently reported in most ecozones except for the Pacific Maritime and Mixedwood Plains, where fish and plants, respectively, were more frequently consumed. First Nations identified structural and environmental challenges such as development, government regulations and climate change, along with household barriers such as insufficient capital for equipment and transportation, lack of time and absence of a hunter in the household. Multivariable analyses revealed that the highest intake of TF occurred in the Taiga Plains ecozone, and for older individuals and men.ConclusionIdentifying solutions that empower First Nations at all levels is required to overcome the multiple challenges to the inclusion of TF in the diet.

Highlights

Traditional food (TF) has key nutritional, cultural, spiritual and economic values for First Nation Peoples (Willows 2005; Power 2008)
This is worrisome as First Nations suffer from higher prevalence of nutrition-related chronic diseases (NRCD) as compared with Inuit and the general population of Canada, and our understanding of reasons for the differences between First Nations and non-Indigenous Canadians is limited since First Nations living on reserves have been excluded from large national studies such as the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS); the First Nations Regional Health Survey is the only other cross-Canada study of First Nations but included more northern communities and did not include an extensive nutrition component (Ayach and Korda 2010; Haman et al 2010; Batal and Decelles 2019; First Nations Information Governance Centre 2018)
Communities were sampled in each Assembly of First Nations region by Statistics Canada so the sample would be representative of all First Nations adults in the region; second-level randomization took place in selecting households based on household lists provided by the community leadership; and third-level randomization took place within the household to select the adult respondent (Chan et al 2021)

Summary

Introduction

Traditional food (TF) has key nutritional, cultural, spiritual and economic values for First Nation Peoples (Willows 2005; Power 2008). Previous studies have reported that TF use by Indigenous Peoples in Canada is influenced by a multitude of factors, including: environmental factors (ecosystem quality and natural resource management), government regulations that limit hunting and fishing or prohibit sales of TF, development, community factors (location, land access and community programs), interpersonal factors (extended family, social network, sharing, intergenerational influence and learning) and individual factors (preferences, cost, time, skills and convenience) (Chan et al 2006; Laberge Gaudin et al 2015; Turner et al 2013; Power 2008; Willows 2005; Leibovitch Randazzo and Robidoux 2019). This is worrisome as First Nations suffer from higher prevalence of NRCD as compared with Inuit and the general population of Canada, and our understanding of reasons for the differences between First Nations and non-Indigenous Canadians is limited since First Nations living on reserves have been excluded from large national studies such as the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS); the First Nations Regional Health Survey is the only other cross-Canada study of First Nations but included more northern communities and did not include an extensive nutrition component (Ayach and Korda 2010; Haman et al 2010; Batal and Decelles 2019; First Nations Information Governance Centre 2018)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion