Dietary Nutrient Profiles of Canadian Baffin Island Inuit differ by Food Source, Season, and Age

doi:10.1016/S0002-8223(96)00045-4

Journal of the American Dietetic Association

Volume 96, Issue 2, February 1996, Pages 155-162

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-8223(96)00045-4 Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective To compare the effect of food source (traditional or market), season (six seasons), and age (five age groups) on dietary nutrient patterns of Inuit living in Baffin Island, Canada.

Design Twenty-four-hour recall interviews of all residents who had lived ≥3 years in this one community in each of six seasons. Foods that were recalled were divided by source.

Setting/subjects The study took place in the Inuit community of Qikiqtarjuaq, which harvests the highest quantity of wildlife per capita of all Baffin communities. Three hundred sixty-six residents contributed a total of 1,410 recalls: 401 from nonpregnant, nonlactating adult women, 74 from pregnant women, 301 from adult men, 451 from children aged 3 to 12 years, and 183 from teenagers aged 13 to 19 years. Participation was voluntary and averaged 65% to 75% of residents.

Main outcome measures Energy, total dry weight of food, and dietary nutrients (ie, carbohydrate, protein, total fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, vitamin A, iron, copper, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium) were measured by food source, season, and age. Nutrient density (nutrient per 1,000 kcal) was calculated in traditional and market food sources. Selected nutrients were computed in total diets, and compared with Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs).

Statistical analyses performed Tests for normality of the distribution of nutrient intakes (ie, Shapiro-Wilk statistic) were performed followed by nonparametric analyses (ie, Wilcoxon paired-sample t test, Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance, and adjustment for Bonferroni inequalities resulting from multiple comparisons).

Results Most nutrient intakes were significantly different by food source (P<.05). Traditional food contributed more protein, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and vitamin A for several age groups. Market food contributed greater amounts of dry weight, energy, fat, carbohydrate, calcium, and sodium for most age groups. Seasonal variation (P<.05) existed for nutrients coming from traditional and market food. Of the 10 nutrients assessed for nutrient density, all except calcium and sodium were present in greater amounts in traditional food than in market food (P<.05). Calcium and vitamin A intakes fell below 66.6% of the RDAs for more than 60% of the population.

Conclusions The comprehensive view of nutrient profiles, food source, and seasonality of Inuit diets will assist health professionals in developing nutrition promotion and education programs for all age groups of this population. Traditional food is an essential source of the total annual dietary nutrient intake of Inuit. Results indicated, however, that calcium and vitamin A intake must be improved. J Am Diet Assoc. 1996; 96:155–162.

Section snippets

Ethics, Population, and Interviews

The Baffin Island Inuit reside in eight communities on this island in the Canadian Arctic. A review of data generated by the Baffin Regional Inuit Association on quantities of wildlife species harvested by communities revealed that the community of Qikiqtarjuaq (Broughton Island) harvested more wildlife by weight per capita than other Baffin communities. Thus, this community was selected to represent the Inuit of Baffin Island for an evaluation of nutritional and toxicologic items in the

Nutrient Intake

Table 1 shows the mean daily nutrient intakes for several age and gender categories, presented as intakes from traditional or market food. The values are a mean of the six seasonal interview periods. Food intake, as represented by grams of dry (moisture-free) food, is significantly different for groups under 40 years of age. Deleting moisture from all food and reporting grams of dry food reduced misinterpretation from dilute beverages and soups, particularly for the youngest and oldest age

Discussion

We have demonstrated in this article that for this Inuit population of all ages, traditional food makes a vitally important contribution to total nutrient intake. Traditional food items are major contributors for eight of the nine nutrients evaluated in Table 3. Evaluation of other nutrients was not possible because of limitations in the nutrient database of traditional food. Because traditional arctic diets contain few plant foods, ascorbate and folate intakes are often assumed to be

Applications

In this article, we offer techniques for evaluating food availability, food use, and dietary intake and adequacy for indigenous peoples. Dietary data from indigenous peoples may be improved by paying attention to cultural behaviors when interviewing and by assessing seasonal food use. Although reports on North American indigenous peoples often show that very few traditional foods are used, it is prudent to pay attention to reported energy intakes in these studies. Often, indigenous peoples

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Dietary Nutrient Profiles of Canadian Baffin Island Inuit differ by Food Source, Season, and Age

Abstract

Section snippets

Ethics, Population, and Interviews

Nutrient Intake

Discussion

Applications

Am J Clin Nutr.

Sci Total Environ.

Am J Clin Nutr.

Am J Clin Nutr.

J Food Composition Analysis.

J Nutr.

Change in the use of traditional foods by the Nuxalk Native People of British Columbia

Ecol Food Nutr.

The Mexican food systemtraditional and modern

Ecol Food Nutr.

Nutrition of northern native Canadians

Can Home Econ J.

Nutrition and the environment of Indigenous Peoples

Ecol Food Nutr.

Contemporary Hopi food intake patterns

Ecol Food Nutr.

The Aboriginal Eskimo diet in modern perspective

Am Anthropol

Benefits and risks of traditional food for indigenous peoplesfocus on dietary intakes of Arctic men

Can J Physiol Pharmacol

A study of the nutritional status of an Inuit population in the Canadian High Arctic

Can J Public Health.

Inuvialuit food use and food preferences in Aklavik, NWT, Canada

Arctic Med Res.

The Keewatin health assessment study

Arctic Med Res.

Nutrition of the Inuit

Circumpolar Health 90.