FNFNES First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study Summary of key findings for eight Assembly of First Nations regions 2008-2018 University of Ottawa Université de Montréal Assembly of First Nations NOVEMBER 2019 The first comprehensive study to address gaps in knowledge about 1 TITLE AND METHODS diet, traditional food and environmental contaminants. Why was FNFNES undertaken? FNFNES: a community-based participatory This is the first comprehensive study to address gaps research project in knowledge about the diet, traditional food and FNFNES is the largest nutrition, food security and food environmental contaminants to which First Nations are safety study conducted in Canada with First Nations. exposed. FNFNES used a standard approach, with identical tools 3 There has been a gap in our understanding of dietary and methodology to conduct a survey of First Nations patterns, nutrition and exposure to contaminants from adults living on reserves in each of the eight AFN regions food because of the exclusion of the First Nations south of the 60th parallel in Canada. To ensure the study population on reserve from other national studies. assessed and represented the diversity of First Nations’ diets, a random sampling strategy was adopted, based on Key objectives included determining: an ecosystem framework that included 11 ecozones. patterns of use of food security status Participating First Nations were involved in the planning traditional and store- of households and implementation of data collection for the five bought foods and principal study components: nutrient intake among w household interviews adults living on reserve w tap water sampling for metals w surface water sampling for pharmaceuticals exposure to chemical kinds and amounts w hair sampling for mercury contaminants in of agricultural, w traditional food sampling for contaminants traditional food and veterinary and human tap water pharmaceuticals present Data collection in surface water bodies on reserve 2008 SEPTEMBER TO MID-DECEMBER FALL MONTHS 2016 First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study — Summary of key findings for eight Assembly of First Nations regions 2008-2018 2 PARTICIPATION ACROSS EIGHT AFN REGIONS 92 First Nations Location of 2,210 First Nations men average age 6,487 of 45 participants 4,277 women AFN # of # of data community regional average 39% 3% 18% regions FNs households collection reporting back DTW* report release age of 44 50-350km >350km fly-in only 2010 BC 21 1103 2008-09 4 2011 2011 5 2012 MB 9 706 2010 60% 2012 2012 2013 ON 18 1429 2011-12 2014 2014 2015 AB 10 609 2013 2016 2016 >50km 2016 40% NB NL NS PEI 11 1025 2014 (Atlantic region) 2017 2017 2017 SK 13 1042 2015 <50km 2018 2018 2018 service QC & LAB 10 573 2016 centre 2019 2019 *Data training workshop First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study — Summary of key findings for eight Assembly of First Nations regions 2008-2018 First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study — Summary of key findings for eight Assembly of First Nations regions 2008-2018 Five most frequently eaten traditional foods and salmon duck huckleberry eulachon/grease grouse soapberry average number of days 15 halibut goose blueberry eaten within each ecozone trout ptarmigan Saskatoon berry 16 northern pike chokecherry walleye moose meat strawberry 8 3 TRADITIONAL FOOD DIVERSITY AND COMMON FOODS whitefish deer meat raspberry 8 19 fish eggs elk meat seaweed caribou meat 10 balsam tree inner bark moose kidney Three most frequently mint leaves eaten traditional foods in rat root each ecozone Labrador tea maple syrup 13 100% 12 78 corn 100% 56 14 beans squash 14 6 20 7 22 15 96% 99% 24 97% 100% 16 100% 91% 46 86% 23 4 94% 41 4 5 Pacific Maritime 109 6 Boreal Cordillera 96 4 6 Montane Cordillera 21 92% 4 6 Taiga Plains Almost all adults reported eating 5 10 6 7 Boreal Plains traditional food. 6 7 7 Prairies 62 5 54 3 The types of foods eaten across the 46 15 7 Boreal Shield 5 3 9 11 ecozones were diverse. 5 7 40 9 Taiga Shield 28 7 Hudson Plains There were higher intakes in 7 the western and northernmost 7 20 19 Pacific Maritime(n=486) (n=313) Cordillera Montane Boreal Shield (n=1317) ShieldTaiga (n=272) Mixedwood Plains Boreal Plains (n=1248) (n=577) Prairies Hudson Plains (n=322) Mixedwood Plains (n=681) Atlantic Maritime (n=1039) Boreal Cordillera (n=80) Cordillera Boreal Taiga PlainsTaiga (n=152) 13 Across ecozones Percentage of participants ecozones. 12 Atlantic Maritime who ate traditional food % (n = no. of adults) First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study — Summary of key findings for eight Assembly of First Nations regions 2008-2018 First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study — Summary of key findings for eight Assembly of First Nations regions 2008-2018 Average daily intake of traditional food was 61 grams (¼ cup) while Across the regions some adults reported and ecozones, most eating more than 1,000 Calories from traditional food households were grams (4 cups). 35% actively engaged in 55% 40% food harvesting and Pacific 27% production. Maritime 32% 87% 87% Boreal 4% On days traditional 57% Cordillera 9% Daily intake of traditional food (TF) food (TF) was eaten, 57% the intake of almost 61% Montane 2% all nutrients was 52% Pacific Maritime 304 941 Cordillera 28% significantly higher 66% 69% Boreal Cordillera 274 586 while the intake of 7% Percentage of Taiga 62% saturated fat was lower. Plains 26% households 439 1443 Montane Cordillera 4 HARVESTING 47% 44% participating in 8 Boreal 2% 9 Taiga Plains 410 1099 24% any harvesting 4.6% Plains 15% and production 34% Boreal Plains 288 809 26% practices by Food harvesting barriers 1% All adults 34% ecozone Prairies 312 776 mean % of calories from TF Prairies 20% 50% All adults 60% Boreal Shield 393 984 34.6% 95th percentile % of calories from TF 1% Boreal 32% Shield 14% Taiga Shield 285 747 external household level 71% 68% When we excluded those who did not eat traditional food on • industrial activities (forestry, • insufficient resources Taiga 8% Hudson Plains 504 1393 their dietary 24-recall interview (detailed information about all the 49% farming, mining, hydro) to purchase/operate Shield 2% foods and beverages eaten in the previous 24 hours), intakes of TF equipment increased. • recreational activities 68% Mixedwood Plains 210 480 (non-Indigenous harvesters) • lack of a hunter 65% Hudson 2% 12% • government regulations • time Plains Atlantic Maritime 303 1106 6% • climate change (impacting 22% Adults with TF on 24-hour recall availability and lifecycle) 40% 303 981 25.4% mean % of calories from TF 1% hunted All ecozones Mixedwood 32% Adults with TF on 24-hour recall • access issues Plains 47% fished th grams/day 58.4% 95 percentile % of calories from TF • availability of traditional food 33% collected seafood 46% collected plants mean grams of TF Atlantic 20% th 25% 95 percentile grams of TF Maritime 16% planted a garden First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study — Summary of key findings for eight Assembly of First Nations regions 2008-2018 First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study — Summary of key findings for eight Assembly of First Nations regions 2008-2018 5 WELL-BEING, FOOD SECURITY AND DIET Measures of health continue to show that there remain large Well-being inequities in well-being Overall well-being across regions between First Nations 24 26% said health was very good and the non-Indigenous 55 or excellent population. 48 55 37% physically active 46 55 17% at a healthy weight 19% have diabetes Household food security 60 (type 2 diabetes is more common) 55 40 52% smoke 52 FNFNES measured the financial ability of households 32 on-reserve to purchase store-bought food. Access to 6 28 traditional foods was captured through questions about Percentages of total 27 10 harvest practices, barriers to traditional food use and household food insecurity 11 adequacy and availability of traditional food supplies. 16 26 12 25 22 23 27 8 48% 22 21 of households are food insecure, i.e. they lack economic 29 29 Foods from the traditional food system are currently also 21 20 access Pacific Maritime out of reach for many families. 22 Boreal Cordillera 24 Montane Cordillera 24-60% said that they had run out of Taiga Plains range of food insecurity traditional food before they could by ecozone 47% Boreal Plains 23 35 3-5X higher replenish their supplies Prairies Health status perceptions were household food insecurity compared to general Boreal Shield influenced by location, gender, rates Canadian population (12%) would like to serve traditional food Taiga Shield education, income, weight and Percentage reporting diabetes 77% more often than currently Hudson Plains (data not collected for Boreal Cordillera) diabetic status of participants, Mixedwood Plains Percentage reporting very good and participation in harvesting Atlantic Maritime or excellent health activities. First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study — Summary of key findings for eight Assembly of First Nations regions 2008-2018 First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study — Summary of key findings for eight Assembly of First Nations regions 2008-2018 Diet Grocery costs for High quality The diet of First Nations adults does not meet nutrition a family of four acceptable drinking recommendations. Intake of vitamins A, D and C, folate, water is a basic calcium and magnesium are inadequate. need and important Intakes of many nutrients were significantlyhigher for AB $216 6 ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS for limiting use of those able to include some traditional food in their diet maximum $377 $258 sugar-sweetened compared to those who only ate store-bought food. Edmonton $204 $479 beverages. SK $258 Game meat Fish was a maximum $479 was a key key source of Saskatoon source of iron vitamin D $177 Drinking Water Quality and Safety Similar to the general Canadian population, intake of MB $240 This study provides a snapshot of the levels of metals Taste and colour of water are two common reasons that sodium were above recommended levels.