Methyl Mercury (MeHg) exposure is a global environmental health concern. Indigenous peoples around the world are susceptible to MeHg exposure from often higher fish consumption compared to general ...populations. The objective of this study was to estimate dietary exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) among First Nations living on-reserve in the province of Ontario, Canada. A total diet study was constructed based on a 24-h recall from the First Nations Food, Nutrition, and Environment Study (FNFNES), and measured contaminant concentrations from Health Canada for market foods, and FNFNES for traditional foods. A probabilistic assessment of annual and seasonal traditional food consumptions was conducted for 1429 adult participants. Results were compared to exposures in the general Canadian population and reference values from Health Canada for adults and women of childbearing age (ages 19–50). Results indicated traditional foods to be the primary contributor to the dietary total MeHg intake (72%). The average dietary total MeHg exposure in the First Nations population in Ontario (0.039 μg/kg/d) was 1.6 times higher than the general Canadian population; however, the majority (97.8%) of the population was below the reference values. Mercury concentrations in participants’ hair samples (n = 744) ranged from 0.03 to 13.54 µg/g, with an average of 0.64 µg/g (geometric average of 0.27 µg/g). Less than 1% of the population had a hair mercury value above the 6 µg/g level, and 1.3% of women of child bearing age had values greater than 2 µg/g. Fish species contributing to the MeHg intake included pickerel-walleye, pike, perch and trout. Only 7.9% of the population met the recommended fish consumption rate of two, 3.5 oz servings per week from the American Heart Association. Therefore, consumption of lower trophic level fish can be promoted to provide the maximum nutritional benefit with minimal risk of MeHg exposure.
•A total dietary MeHg exposure assessment was conducted for 1429 First Nations participants.•Traditional foods contributed to 72% of the dietary MeHg intake.•The average dietary MeHg was 0.039 μg/kg/d.•The majority (97.8%) of the population was below the reference values.•Only 7.9% of the population ate two servings of fish per week.
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.
Consumption of fish and n-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) has been postulated to prevent type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Objective: To explore the association between self-reported T2D and fish consumption, dietary ...n-3 FAs, and persistent organic pollutants (POP) intake in a regionally representative sample of First Nations (FNs) in Manitoba.
Design: Data from the cross-sectional First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study (FNFNES) collected from 706 members of 8 Manitoba FNs in 2010 were used. Household interviews were used to collect social and lifestyle data. The consumption of fish was estimated using a traditional food frequency questionnaire. Fish samples were analyzed for the presence of POP. Multiple logistic regression models adjusted for potential risk factors for T2D were developed.
Results: A negative, dose–response relationship was found between fish intake and self-reported T2D. Fish consumptions of 2–3 portions per month and ≥1/week were inversely associated with T2D with odds ratio (OR) values of 0.51 (95% CI: 0.28–0.91) and 0.40 (95% CI: 0.19–0.82), respectively, compared with no fish intake. Similarly, intake of n-3 FAs was negatively associated with T2D (OR = 0.48 (95% CI: 0.30–0.77). Dietary POP intake was not associated with T2D.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that the consumption of traditionally harvested fish may have a beneficial effect on T2D in Manitoba FNs.
Abstract
Background
Given the increasing number and the diversity of dietary quality indices used for research, and the differences between settings, there is a need to identify valid indices of ...dietary quality in different contexts and populations and to identify their associations with health-related outcomes.
Objectives
The primary objective of this scoping review is to identify the tools used in determining dietary quality among First Nations and to describe the changes in diet. The second objective is to describe the associations identified in studies that have measured the relationship between health and dietary quality among First Nations; and the third objective is to identify factors associated with diet quality.
Methods
PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Global Health, and Web of Science were searched from inception to June 2021 and updated in February 2022. Articles were included if the research subjects were First Nations, or if articles reported disaggregated subset data for First Nations. Eligible studies focused on nutrition and diet and were published in English or French.
Results
A total of 151 articles were included in the analysis. Studies used several indicators to measure if individuals adhered to dietary guidelines. Traditional food consumption was frequently used as an indicator of diet quality (n = 96). The consumption of store-bought foods was used as an indicator in 28 studies. Some studies used other diet quality indicators such as the Healthy Eating Index (n = 5) and ultra-processed food “NOVA” classification (n = 6). A trend for decreasing traditional food intake over time was apparent, alongside an increase in store-bought food intake. This trend was accompanied with declining health status, including the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, diabetes, metabolic diseases, and dental caries.
Conclusion
This scoping review showed that diet quality among First Nations is improved when traditional foods are consumed. Reduced diet quality was associated with increased risk of noncommunicable diseases.
To quantify associations of the dietary share of ultra-processed foods (UPF) with the overall diet quality of First Nations peoples.
A cross-sectional analysis of data from the First Nations Food, ...Nutrition and Environment Study, designed to contribute to knowledge gaps regarding the diet of First Nations peoples living on-reserve, south of the 60th parallel. A multistage sampling of communities was conducted. All foods from 24 h dietary recalls were categorized into NOVA categories and analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of UPF on diet quality.
Western and Central Canada.
First Nations participants aged 19 years or older.
The sample consisted of 3700 participants. UPF contributed 53·9 % of energy. Compared with the non-UPF fraction of the diet, the UPF fraction had 3·5 times less vitamin A, 2·4 times less K, 2·2 times less protein, 2·3 times more free sugars and 1·8 times more Na. As the contribution of UPF to energy increased so did the overall intakes of energy, carbohydrate, free sugar, saturated fat, Na, Ca and vitamin C, and Na:K; while protein, fibre, K, Fe and vitamin A decreased. Diets of individuals who ate traditional First Nations food (e.g. wild plants and game animals) on the day of the recall were lower in UPF.
UPF were prevalent in First Nations diets. Efforts to curb UPF consumption and increase intake of traditional First Nations foods and other fresh or minimally processed foods would improve diet quality and health in First Nations peoples.
Objective
To describe the traditional food (TF) systems of First Nations in Canada, including intake, barriers and promoters.
Methods
The First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study is a ...cross-Canada participatory study of First Nations adults below the 60
th
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.
Results
Across 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.
Conclusion
Identifying solutions that empower First Nations at all levels is required to overcome the multiple challenges to the inclusion of TF in the diet.
Objective
Our objective is to describe self-reported health status, prevalence of diabetes and obesity and their associations in participants from the First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment ...Study (FNFNES) in order to identify possible correlates of health in First Nations adults.
Methods
FNFNES is a participatory study with First Nations Peoples living on reserve lands south of the 60
th
parallel. Health and diabetes were self-reported, and prevalence of obesity was evaluated. Socio-demographic and lifestyle factors and traditional food (TF) activities were investigated for associations with health parameters.
Results
High prevalence rates of overweight/obesity (78–91%) and diabetes (19% age-standardized prevalence) were found. Smoking rates were high and physical activity was low. In multivariable analyses, obesity was associated with region, income source, age, gender, smoking and self-reported health; diabetes and lesser self-reported health were associated with obesity and lower education. Diabetes was strongly associated with lesser self-reported health and weakly associated with being a smoker.
Conclusion
We have identified possible correlates of health in this population that can help to better understand the underlying concerns and identify solutions for First Nations and their partners. We urge governments and First Nations to address the systemic problems identified with a holistic ecosystem approach that takes into consideration the financial and physical access to food, particularly TF, and the facilitation of improved health behaviour. New mechanisms co-developed with First Nations leadership should focus on supporting sustainable, culturally safe and healthy lifestyles and closing the gaps in nutrition and food insecurity.
To further understandings of household food insecurity in First Nations communities in Canada and its relationship with obesity.
Analysis of a cross-sectional dataset from the First Nations Food, ...Nutrition and Environment Study representative of First Nations communities south of the 60th parallel. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess associations between food insecurity and sociodemographic factors, as well as the odds of obesity among food-insecure households adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics.
Western and Central Canada.
First Nations peoples aged ≥19 years.
Forty-six percent of First Nations households experienced food insecurity. Food insecurity was highest for respondents who received social assistance; had ≤10 years of education; were female; had children in the household; were 19-30 years old; resided in Alberta; and had no year-round road access into the community. Rates of obesity were highest for respondents residing in marginally food-insecure households (female 56·6 %; male 54·6 %). In gender-specific analyses, the odds of obesity were highest among marginally food-insecure households in comparison with food-secure households, for both female (OR 1·57) and male (OR 1·57) respondents, adjusting for sociodemographic variables. For males only, those in severely food-insecure (compared with food-secure) households had lower odds of obesity after adjusting for confounding (OR 0·56).
The interrelated challenges of food insecurity and obesity in First Nations communities emphasise the need for Indigenous-led, culturally appropriate and food sovereign approaches to food security and nutrition in support of holistic wellness and prevention of chronic disease.
Objective
To describe the prevalence of food insecurity in First Nations households across Canada while identifying barriers and enablers to traditional food (TF) consumption.
Methods
The First ...Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study is a cross-Canada participatory study of on-reserve First Nations from 2008 to 2018. The Household Food Security Survey Module was used to capture income-related challenges experienced by First Nations households. Households were classified as food secure, or marginally, moderately, or severely food insecure. Barriers and enablers to TF access and use were identified describing the Indigenous experience.
Results
Almost half of on-reserve First Nations households were food insecure and the prevalence was higher than that for non-Indigenous households in Canada. On-reserve food insecurity prevalence was higher in western regions of Canada. First Nations households with children experienced greater food insecurity than those without children. More adults experienced severe food insecurity than children. Most adults would like to have more TF in their diet but state that factors such as financial and household constraints, industrial activities, government regulations, climate change, and fear of contamination impede greater access. Food costs were substantially higher in remote First Nations communities, but remoteness was not associated with food security in multivariable analysis.
Conclusion
Existing systems have been unsuccessful in curbing the food insecurity in First Nations households. Improving food security hinges on achieving Indigenous Food Sovereignty, the key to long-term conservation and stewardship of the land and the co-management of these by Indigenous Peoples. Studies investigating the feasibility of increasing TF from an Indigenous perspective are required.
First Nations (FNs) populations in Canada experience a disproportionally higher rate of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to the general population. Recent data suggest that a high ...consumption of fish may help prevent T2D. On the other hand, fish might also be a potential source of environmental contaminants which could potentially be a risk factor for T2D.
To investigate the potential associations between self-reported T2D and consumption of locally-harvested fish, dietary long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (n-3FAs) and persistent organic pollutants intake among adult FNs living on reserve in Ontario.
Data from the First Nations Food Nutrition and Environment Study, which included a cross-sectional study of 1429 Ontario FNs adults living in 18 communities across 4 ecozones in 2012 were analyzed. Social and lifestyle data were collected using household interviews. The consumption of locally-harvested fish was estimated using a traditional food frequency questionnaire along with portion size information obtained from 24hr recalls. Fish samples were analyzed for the presence of contaminants including dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Dietary intakes of DDE and PCBs were estimated using community-specific levels of DDE/PCBs in fish species. Multiple logistic regression models adjusted for potential covariates including age, gender, body mass index, physical activity, total energy intake, smoking, and education were developed.
The prevalence of T2D in Ontario FNs was 24.4%. A significant positive association between fish consumption of one portion per week and more and T2D compared to no fish consumption was found (OR=2.5 (95% CI: 1.38–4.58). Dietary DDE and PCBs intake was positively associated with T2D (OR=1.09 (95%CI: 1.05–1.75) for DDE and OR=1.07 (95%CI: 1.004–1.27) for PCBs) per unit increase in DDE/PCBs while n-3-FAs intake, adjusted for DDE/PCBs intake, showed an inverse effect against T2D among older individuals (OR=0.86 (95% CI: 0.46–0.99).
Our results support previous findings that exposure to DDE and PCBs may increase the risk of T2D. Elevated levels of contaminants in fish may counteract with potentially beneficial effects of n-3FAs from fish consumption. However, the overall health benefits of high consumption of fish with a high n-3 FAs content may outweigh the adverse effect of contaminants.
•POPs exposure from fish consumption was positively associated with T2D.•n-3 fatty acids intake was negatively associated with T2D among older individuals.•POPs concentrations in locally-harvested fish need to be monitored.•Dietary advice need to balance risk and benefits.
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