Sydney, Age 9, Summerland
2nd Session, 38th Parliament – November 29, 2006
< Food Security – Table of Contents – Obesity and Inactivity in Selected Cultural Communities >
Sydney, Age 9, Summerland
A key area of concern for members of the Committee pertained to growing obesity rates in British Columbia’s aboriginal communities. Across Canada, we learned that young people of aboriginal origin (off-reserve) had a significantly high combined overweight/obesity rate of 41 percent, including an obesity rate 2.5 times the national average.22 According to the First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey, 28.1 percent of on-reserve children are overweight and 14.1 percent are obese.23 Given that the aboriginal population is generally young, with a median age of 24.7 years (compared to 37.7 in non-aboriginal populations),24 the future health costs associated with diabetes and asthma will only continue to escalate.
“First Nations students are very vulnerable in grade 8 when they come up from the reservations. They are really open to everything. The first thing they see is unhealthy food, and they go for it. They thing that’s all there is, but I think if you bring in food from the communities or cook from the community to have some traditional foods here – not every day but maybe once a week.” D. Tenale, |
In his 2004 Annual Report, the Provincial Health Officer estimated that in 2003/04, First Nations persons had age-standardized rates of obesity approximately 50 percent higher (females) and 20 per cent higher (males) than other British Columbians — and that these rates would continue to rise. He speculated that the significantly higher incidence of diabetes could be attributed to the adoption of a North American diet high in saturated fat and sugars, along with a sedentary lifestyle and reduced physical activity.25
First Nations diets have traditionally emphasized proteins (from abundant fish to wild game) and fresh fruits and vegetables, including nuts and berries. The effort of hunting, fishing and gathering contributed to physical fitness. With the arrival of Europeans, these natural foods eventually became scarce due to population and development pressures on the land, and First Nations were increasingly forced to adopt processed foods supplied through retail channels. The traditional diet and its required physical activity became scarce.26
The situation has become acute within British Columbia’s aboriginal communities. Age-standardized diabetes for Status Indians is estimated at 5.7 percent — 40 percent higher than rates found in the rest of population.27 Each year, more than 520 new cases of diabetes in aboriginals are identified and more than 100 Status Indians with diabetes die each year due to complications associated with the disease. The growing prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in adolescents — a condition typically found in adults — is particularly troubling within British Columbia’s First Nations communities.
The government has endeavoured to close this unsatisfactory gap between the healths of these two populations through accelerated investments in public health, infrastructure, and education. However, progress has been unacceptably slow. It would be irresponsible for this committee to ignore such a concentration of obesity and inactivity.
The Committee endorses initiatives taken by the government aimed at addressing the unique health problems and higher mortality of the aboriginal community, including diabetes and obesity. Such strategies include establishing mental health programs to address substance abuse and youth suicide; integrating the ActNow strategy with First Nations health programs to reduce the incidence of preventable diseases, like diabetes; establishing tripartite pilot programs with the Northern Health Authority and the Lytton Health Centre to improve acute care and community health services by utilizing an integrated approach to health and community programs as directed by the needs of First Nations; and increasing the number of trained First Nations health care professionals.28
The Committee recommends that:
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© 2006 Legislative Assembly of British Columbia