Abstract
We examined the feasibility of linear programming (LP) to develop diets that were economical, included traditional (cultural, non-market) foods and met the dietary reference intakes (DRI) in a Canadian Indigenous population. Diet optimisation using LP is a mathematical technique that can develop food-based dietary guidelines for healthy eating in Indigenous populations where food insecurity, availability and cost are important considerations. It is a means of developing nutritionally optimal food combinations that are based on economical and culture-specific foods. Observed food consumption data were derived using 24-h food recalls from the First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study. The LP models were constructed to develop diets meeting DRI, cost and food constraints. Achieving the recommended food intake was not feasible in a model meeting all nutrient requirements. Models that met most nutrient requirements at reduced cost were designed for men and women, separately. In women, it was necessary to increase energy intake to meet most nutrient requirements. Nutrient requirements could not be met for fibre, linoleic and linolenic acids, vitamin D, Ca and K in both sexes, P in women, and Mg and vitamin A in men. Using LP to develop optimal diets for First Nations people, we found simultaneous achievement of all DRI was difficult, suggesting that supplementation might be necessary which goes against recommendations for individuals to meet their nutrient needs through healthy eating patterns. Additionally, to make diets feasible, programmes to reduce market food costs and to support First Nations people in traditional food harvesting are recommended.
Highlights
We examined the feasibility of linear programming (LP) to develop diets that were economical, included traditional foods and met the dietary reference intakes (DRI) in a Canadian Indigenous population
The high prevalence of nutrition-related chronic disease in First Nations can mostly be explained by the high prevalence of food insecurity that they experience, meaning that they have insufficient physical and financial access to both sufficient healthy market foods (MARKFOOD) as well as culturally appropriate, nutrient-dense traditional food (TRADFOOD) procured from local ecosystems, such as game, fish, fowl and plants[8,9]
The overall cost of obtaining store-bought or MARKFOOD is high in First Nations reserve communities located in rural or remote areas and the quality of fresh foods is poor as a result of spoilage and transportation challenges[13]
Summary
We examined the feasibility of linear programming (LP) to develop diets that were economical, included traditional (cultural, non-market) foods and met the dietary reference intakes (DRI) in a Canadian Indigenous population. The high prevalence of nutrition-related chronic disease in First Nations can mostly be explained by the high prevalence of food insecurity that they experience, meaning that they have insufficient physical and financial access to both sufficient healthy market foods (MARKFOOD) as well as culturally appropriate, nutrient-dense traditional food (TRADFOOD) procured from local ecosystems, such as game, fish, fowl and plants[8,9]. One reason is that European colonial policies and practices undermined or destroyed land-based food practices and created barriers for Indigenous communities to access sufficient healthy foods from local food systems[10] Another reason is that many First Nations have lower incomes than other Canadians and less money available to purchase nutrient-dense high-quality MARKFOOD[11]. The overall cost of obtaining store-bought or MARKFOOD is high in First Nations reserve communities located in rural or remote areas and the quality of fresh foods is poor as a result of spoilage and transportation challenges[13]
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