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First Nations communities tend be at higher risk of obesity and related illnesses, but those risks lessen when traditional foods are consumed, the first results of a UNBC-led study show.
The study into nutritional and environmental factors impacting the health and well-being of B.C.'s First Nations communities is part of a national 10-year study funded by Health Canada.
"The results of the study indicate that the nutritional health of aboriginal communities is most positively affected when they have broad access to traditional methods of harvesting foods such as fish, moose, and berries," said UNBC professor Laurie Chan.
"However, many of the participants in the study reported limitations to accessing traditional foods, including governmental restrictions, forestry, hydro installations, and mining," said Chan. "Nearly seventy-five percent of participants also identified global warming as being a hindering factor."
Other participants in the study include the Assembly of First Nations and the Universite de Montreal.
The study was conducted with participation of 21 First Nations in B.C. In total, 100 communities across Canada will be involved.
First Nations communities in north-central B.C. like the Tl'azt'en and Tsay Keh were included in the study.
Research assistants in the communities collected all the data and samples.
The first results showed, notably, that chemical contamination of traditional foods and medicines by environmental contaminants was not found to be overly significant. "As for water quality, we found that most of the participating communities have a steady supply of good drinking water," said," Chan.
Four communities reported boil water advisories, but most had water treatment facilities available and in use.
