Foundation Studies First Nations’ Food Choices to Improve Heart Health

ON THE PULSE NEWS

First Nations people in Canada have higher rates of heart disease, high blood pressure and related problems such as diabetes and obesity. While there is much evidence showing that these problems are more consistent in this population, very little is known about the reasons why.Partnering with the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) in London, Dr. Chantelle Richmond and her colleagues Rachel Bezner-Kerr and Kathi Wilson are being funded by the Foundation to find the underlying causes of the heart health problems in First Nations people by looking at what they eat, and examining the social and environment factors that lead to food choices.

“We have questions about why people make the choices they do,” says Dr. Richmond. “We’re looking at what contributes to their shopping behaviour and the way they consume food.”

In this pilot study, the researchers will identify dietary patterns and reasons for the food choices among First Nations people living in London, Ont. as well as on the nearby reserve of The Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

Dr. Richmond says her team may have already identified one of the reasons why First Nations people in London are not eating as healthfully as they could. “In London’s downtown core, there is only one major grocery store. This means that low income families, many who do not have car access, will not be able shop there. They may instead rely on convenience store food, which is mostly pre-packaged, unhealthy food. Community members that are most in need simply don’t have access to accessibly priced food.”

She is planning to have the initial questionnaires filled out by the end of March and hopes to have some results of this first phase of the study by early June.

In the second phase of the study, families with children under 12 will be interviewed to help find the reasons behind their food choices. “More than half of Aboriginal population is younger than 25. In terms of future risk, we need to make sure that we can give this young population a good healthy start. Because, if we don’t prevent these diseases, 30 years from now the costs to healthcare could be huge,” she says.

At the end of the study, Dr. Richmond hopes to have a better understanding of dietary patterns of people in this area and their sources of food. “We’re hoping to draw conclusions out of the survey and get some numbers that policy makers can use.” She says that this could help influence health policy at SOAHAC’s level, which had more than 1,500 patient visits last year. “Then, after a larger scale study, we aim to have an even greater impact,” Dr. Richmond says.

Read the Foundation’s 2009 report card on access to healthy food: What’s in store for Canada’s heart health?

To help fund the Foundation’s 900 researchers like Dr. Richmond across Canada, please donate now.

Posted: March 9, 2009