Ashleigh Domingo1,2, Jerry Spiegel2, Martin Guhn2, Hannah Wittman3, Amy Ing4, Tonio Sadik5,6, Karen Fediuk7, Constantine Tikhonov8, Harold Schwartz8, Hing Man Chan9, Malek Batal4,10. 1. Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ONN2L 3G1, Canada. 2. Faculty of Medicine, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV6T 1Z3, Canada. 3. Faculty of Land and Food Systems, Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV6T 1Z4, Canada. 4. Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QCH3T 1A8, Canada. 5. Environment, Assembly of First Nations, Ottawa, ONK1P 6L5, Canada. 6. School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ONK1N 6N5, Canada. 7. First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. 8. Environmental Public Health Division, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Indigenous Services Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada. 9. Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ONK1N 6N5, Canada. 10. Centre de recherche en santé publique (CReSP), 7101 Avenue du Parc, Montreal, QCH3N 1X7, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To further understandings of household food insecurity in First Nations communities in Canada and its relationship with obesity. DESIGN: 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. SETTING: Western and Central Canada. PARTICIPANTS: First Nations peoples aged ≥19 years. RESULTS: 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). CONCLUSIONS: 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 further understandings of household food insecurity in First Nations communities in Canada and its relationship with obesity. DESIGN: 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. SETTING: Western and Central Canada. PARTICIPANTS: First Nations peoples aged ≥19 years. RESULTS: 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). CONCLUSIONS: 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.
Entities:
Keywords:
First Nations communities; Household food insecurity; Indigenous health; Obesity
Authors: Ashleigh Domingo; Kerry-Ann Charles; Michael Jacobs; Deborah Brooker; Rhona M Hanning Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-04-21 Impact factor: 3.390