The long-lasting effects of colonization are driving factors behind much of the food insecurity Indigenous people face, according to study
Family physician Dr. Rebekah Eatmon sees parents in tears, frustrated that they can’t provide enough healthy food for their children.
"The seriousness of this in Indigenous communities is unlike any other population," said Dr. Anna Banerji, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Toronto and lead author of the study, which was recently published in the journal PLOS Global Public Health. One study of Inuit children in Nunavik, the northernmost region of Quebec, found that children from food-insecure homes were an average of two centimetres shorter than those from food-secure homes.
For example, many Indigenous families who live in remote areas can't get healthy food, including meats, fish, fruits and vegetables, because they are perishable and won't last long after being transported long distances, the study said. The long-lasting effects of colonization are driving factors behind much of the food insecurity Indigenous people face, the study said, because they disrupted sources of healthy food such as traditional hunting, fishing and gathering.
Combating food insecurity requires Indigenous-led solutions that are specific to each community's needs, said Deyowidron’t Teri Morrow, a dietitian at Six Nations of the Grand River in southwestern Ontario. Programs that re-establish traditional foods within Indigenous communities are one way of fighting food insecurity, Banerji said. Other examples of success stories include community greenhouses and community freezers.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Food insecurity among Indigenous kids is a 'public health crisis,' doctors sayFamily physician Dr. Rebekah Eatmon sees parents in tears, frustrated that they can't provide enough healthy food for their children.
Read more »
City agency teams up with Indigenous partners for Indigenous tourism strategy for Edmonton areaDetails about the strategy were revealed at a media event at the Telus World of Science Edmonton.
Read more »
7 Signs Food Safety Experts Check Before Eating At A Food TruckWell-run food trucks can (and should) maintain the same standards of hygiene, cleanliness and proper temperature storage as full-scale restaurants.
Read more »
Indigenous art on display at Burnaby City Hall for Truth and Reconciliation DayPrivate donors have added key pieces to Burnaby's permanent art collection, some that share experiences of the residential school system.
Read more »
Ontario vows to balance interests of all Indigenous communities in mining developmentSeveral First Nations from Ring of Fire region demand meeting with Premier Doug Ford, want the premier to promise to not allow any mining development against their will
Read more »
University of Regina introduces new Indigenous engagement plan to further reconciliationThe plan consists of 34 actions grouped into four themes: student success, spaces and places, teaching and learning and community building.
Read more »