Nutrition biomarker assessment and exploration of the role of country foods to improve food security in the Sahtú Region, Canada
Country foods (i.e. wild traditional food) are associated with improved nutrition for northern populations. In response to community concerns, a project was implemented from 2019 to 2021 in the Sahtú region, Northwest Territories, Canada, to: 1) analyse nutrition biomarkers (vitamins A, B1, B2, B6,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22423982.2024.2438434 |
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| author | Mylene Ratelle Breanna Phillipps Kelly Skinner Yvonne Lamers Larisse Melo Brian Laird Leon Andrew Jessie Yakeleya Alyssa Bougie Kirsten Jensen Deborah Simmons |
| author_facet | Mylene Ratelle Breanna Phillipps Kelly Skinner Yvonne Lamers Larisse Melo Brian Laird Leon Andrew Jessie Yakeleya Alyssa Bougie Kirsten Jensen Deborah Simmons |
| author_sort | Mylene Ratelle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Country foods (i.e. wild traditional food) are associated with improved nutrition for northern populations. In response to community concerns, a project was implemented from 2019 to 2021 in the Sahtú region, Northwest Territories, Canada, to: 1) analyse nutrition biomarkers (vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, D, E, folate, P, Na) in blood samples, in order to assess nutritional status and identify nutrient deficiencies, and 2) use a survey to document how access to country foods may improve food security in the community of Tulı́t’a. Findings from the nutritional biomarker assessments (n = 128) indicated that 94% of participants experienced clinical vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/L of plasma 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3) and 9% had folate deficiency (<8.7 nmol/L total folate). In the previous 12 months, 71% of participants did not always have money to get more food when needed, but 92% of participants said they were not left hungry. Country foods were used to increase the quality or quantity of the diet. Increasing country food consumption, such as fatty fish and large game meat and organs could mitigate the vitamin D and folate deficiencies. Policies should be implemented to improve food security in the North by facilitating access to country food. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8c1f9b2a007e405abed7626f083d7e69 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2242-3982 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-8c1f9b2a007e405abed7626f083d7e692024-12-20T06:46:39ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Circumpolar Health2242-39822025-12-0184110.1080/22423982.2024.2438434Nutrition biomarker assessment and exploration of the role of country foods to improve food security in the Sahtú Region, CanadaMylene Ratelle0Breanna Phillipps1Kelly Skinner2Yvonne Lamers3Larisse Melo4Brian Laird5Leon Andrew6Jessie Yakeleya7Alyssa Bougie8Kirsten Jensen9Deborah Simmons10School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, CanadaSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, CanadaFaculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaFaculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, CanadaSahtú Renewable Resources Board, Tulít’a, CanadaSahtú Renewable Resources Board, Tulít’a, CanadaSahtú Renewable Resources Board, Tulít’a, CanadaMinistry of Environment, Government of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, CanadaSahtú Renewable Resources Board, Tulít’a, CanadaCountry foods (i.e. wild traditional food) are associated with improved nutrition for northern populations. In response to community concerns, a project was implemented from 2019 to 2021 in the Sahtú region, Northwest Territories, Canada, to: 1) analyse nutrition biomarkers (vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, D, E, folate, P, Na) in blood samples, in order to assess nutritional status and identify nutrient deficiencies, and 2) use a survey to document how access to country foods may improve food security in the community of Tulı́t’a. Findings from the nutritional biomarker assessments (n = 128) indicated that 94% of participants experienced clinical vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/L of plasma 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3) and 9% had folate deficiency (<8.7 nmol/L total folate). In the previous 12 months, 71% of participants did not always have money to get more food when needed, but 92% of participants said they were not left hungry. Country foods were used to increase the quality or quantity of the diet. Increasing country food consumption, such as fatty fish and large game meat and organs could mitigate the vitamin D and folate deficiencies. Policies should be implemented to improve food security in the North by facilitating access to country food.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22423982.2024.2438434Food securitycountry foodsNorthindigenous peoplesnutrition, biomarkers, vitamins |
| spellingShingle | Mylene Ratelle Breanna Phillipps Kelly Skinner Yvonne Lamers Larisse Melo Brian Laird Leon Andrew Jessie Yakeleya Alyssa Bougie Kirsten Jensen Deborah Simmons Nutrition biomarker assessment and exploration of the role of country foods to improve food security in the Sahtú Region, Canada International Journal of Circumpolar Health Food security country foods North indigenous peoples nutrition, biomarkers, vitamins |
| title | Nutrition biomarker assessment and exploration of the role of country foods to improve food security in the Sahtú Region, Canada |
| title_full | Nutrition biomarker assessment and exploration of the role of country foods to improve food security in the Sahtú Region, Canada |
| title_fullStr | Nutrition biomarker assessment and exploration of the role of country foods to improve food security in the Sahtú Region, Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nutrition biomarker assessment and exploration of the role of country foods to improve food security in the Sahtú Region, Canada |
| title_short | Nutrition biomarker assessment and exploration of the role of country foods to improve food security in the Sahtú Region, Canada |
| title_sort | nutrition biomarker assessment and exploration of the role of country foods to improve food security in the sahtu region canada |
| topic | Food security country foods North indigenous peoples nutrition, biomarkers, vitamins |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22423982.2024.2438434 |
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