Inuit Country Food and Health during Pregnancy and Early Childhood in the Circumpolar North: A Scoping Review

Wild fish consumption and latitude as drivers of vitamin D status among Inuit living in Nunavik, northern Québec

OBJECTIVE

To measure vitamin D status and estimate factors associated with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in Nunavimmiut (Inuit living in Nunavik) adults in 2017.

DESIGN

Data were from Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey, a cross-sectional study conducted in August-October 2017. Participants underwent a questionnaire, including an FFQ, and blood samples were analysed for total serum 25(OH)D.

SETTING

Nunavik, northern Québec, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

A stratified proportional model was used to select respondents, including 1,155 who identified as Inuit and had complete data.

RESULTS

Geometric mean serum vitamin D levels were 65·2 nmol/l (95 % CI 62·9-67·6 nmol/l) among women and 65·4 nmol/l (95 % CI 62·3-68·7 nmol/l) among men. The weighted prevalence of serum 25(OH)D < 75 nmol/l, <50 nmol/l <30 nmol/l was 61·2 %, 30·3 % and 7·0 %, respectively. Individuals who were older, female, lived in smaller and/or more southerly communities and/or consumed more country (traditional) foods were at a reduced risk of low vitamin D status. Higher consumption of wild fish was specifically associated with increased serum 25(OH)D concentration.

CONCLUSION

It is important that national, regional and local policies and programs are in place to secure harvest, sharing and consumption of nutritious and culturally important country foods like Arctic char and other wild fish species, particularly considering ongoing climate change in the Arctic which impacts the availability, access and quality of fish as food.

Integral trends in research of lead exposure and child health from 2012 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis

Lead poisoning in children is a non-negligible and ongoing threat to children's health and optimal development worldwide. There is no sufficient scientometric analysis available on this subject, though. Aiming to uncover the research development, hotspots, and possible future orientation, we performed a scientometric analysis of related publications from 2012 to 2022. Initial information was accessed using the "Analysis Results" and "Create Citation Report" sections of the Web of Science core collection database, which were utilized to find original publications in this field of research. Biblioshiny and VOSviewer software were applied to further analyze and visualize the data. The research addressed a range of topics, including yearly publications, highly cited articles, co-cited references, journals, authors, nations, organizations, and keywords. A total of 883 articles were retrieved. From 2018 to 2021, the annual publication output was abundant and peaked in 2019. Among 111 countries, the USA obtained the highest number of documents issued, total citations, and total link strength. Meanwhile, most of the top 15 institutions, including the top four, are located in the USA. Further, we spotted greater scopes with development potential, including enhancing records to lessen exposure to harmful risks, improving methods for observing lead sources, and elucidating the gradient link between lead poisoning symptoms and concentrations. We anticipate that our research will assist researchers in summarizing previous research and providing perspectives for workable prospective study topics.

Sociodemographic patterning of dietary profiles among Inuit youth and adults in Nunavik, Canada: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Country (traditional) foods are integral to Inuit culture, but market food consumption is increasing. The Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Health Survey (Q2017) reported similar country food consumption frequency compared to that in 2004; however, examining food items individually does not account for diet patterns, food accessibility, and correlations between food items. Our objective was to identify underlying dietary profiles and compare them across sex, age, ecological region, and food insecurity markers, given the links among diet, health, and sociocultural determinants.

METHODS

Food frequency and sociodemographic data were derived from the Q2017 survey (N = 1176). Latent profile analysis identified dietary profiles using variables for the relative frequencies of country and market food consumption first, followed by an analysis with those for country food variables only. Multinomial logistic regression examined the associations among dietary profiles, sociodemographic factors, and food insecurity markers (to disassociate between food preferences and food access).

RESULTS

Four overall dietary profiles and four country food dietary profiles were identified characterized by the relative frequency of country and market food in the diet. The patterns were stable across several sensitivity analyses and in line with our Inuit partners' local knowledge. For the overall profiles, women and adults aged 30-49 years were more likely to have a market food-dominant profile, whereas men and individuals aged 16-29 and 50+ years more often consumed a country food-dominant profile. In the country food profiles, Inuit aged 16-29 years were more likely to have a moderate country food profile whereas Inuit aged 50+ were more likely to have a high country food-consumption profile. A low country and market food-consumption profile was linked to higher prevalence of food insecurity markers.

CONCLUSION

We were able to identify distinct dietary profiles with strong social patterning. The profiles elucidated in this study are aligned with the impact of colonial influence on diet and subsequent country food promotion programs for Inuit youth. These profiles will be used for further study of nutritional status, contaminant exposure, and health to provide context for future public health programs.

Identifying Barriers and Pathways Linking Fish and Seafood to Food Security in Inuit Nunangat: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Fish and seafood play an important role in improving food security in Inuit Nunangat. Therefore, this scoping review aims to explore (1) what topics and/or themes have been widely explored in the literature related to barriers and pathways linking fish and seafood to food security; (2) where research, policy, and action gaps exist; and (3) how fisheries currently contribute to food security.

METHODS

A systematic search of peer-reviewed articles was conducted using six databases. Articles were screened by two independent reviewers. Eligible studies included primary research conducted in Inuit Nunangat that explored the roles of fish and seafood in food security.

RESULTS

Thirty-one articles were included for review. Overall, we found that fisheries can influence food security through direct pathways (e.g., consuming fish for nutrition), and through indirect pathways such as increasing household purchasing power (e.g., through employment). Research indicated that policies relating to wildlife and fisheries management need to be integrated with food and health policies to better address food insecurity in Inuit Nunangat.

CONCLUSION

Future research is needed to establish a more robust understanding of the explicit mechanisms that fish and seafood harvest and/or the participation in commercial fisheries alleviates household food insecurity.

Niqivut Silalu Asijjipalliajuq: Building a Community-Led Food Sovereignty and Climate Change Research Program in Nunavut, Canada

The history of health research in Inuit communities in Canada recounts unethical and colonizing research practices. Recent decades have witnessed profound changes that have advanced ethical and community-driven research, yet much work remains. Inuit have called for research reform in Inuit Nunangat, most recently creating the National Inuit Strategy on Research (NISR) as a framework to support this work. The present study details the process undertaken to create a research program guided by the NISR to address food security, nutrition, and climate change in Inuit Nunangat. Four main elements were identified as critical to supporting the development of a meaningful and authentic community-led program of research: developing Inuit-identified research questions that are relevant and important to Inuit communities; identifying Inuit expertise to answer these questions; re-envisioning and innovating research methodologies that are meaningful to Inuit and reflect Inuit knowledge and societal values; and identifying approaches to mobilizing knowledge that can be applied to support food security and climate change adaptation. We also identify considerations for funding agencies to support the meaningful development of Inuit-led research proposals, including aligning funding with community priorities, reconsidering who the researchers are, and investing in community infrastructure. Our critical reflection on the research program development process provides insight into community-led research that can support Inuit self-determination in research, enhance local ethical conduct of research, privilege Inuit knowledge systems, and align Inuit-identified research priorities with research funding opportunities in health research. While we focus on Inuit-led research in Nunavut, Canada, these insights may be of interest more broadly to Indigenous health research.

Contextual factors associated with depression among Northern and Indigenous adolescents in the Northwest Territories, Canada

BACKGROUND

Persons in Arctic regions disproportionately experience depression. Knowledge gaps remain regarding factors associated with depression among adolescents in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada, where child and adolescent mental health hospitalizations are nearly 2.5 times the national rate. This study assesses correlates of depression among adolescents in the NWT.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey with adolescents aged 13-18 in 17 NWT communities. We assessed associations between socio-demographic characteristics, dating violence, food insecurity and depression, measured with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. We conducted ordered logistic regressions to assess associations with no, mild, or moderate/severe depression scores.

RESULTS

Participants (n = 399; mean age: 14.3, s.d.: 1.3) were mostly Indigenous (79%) and 45% reported food insecurity. Nearly half (47%) reported minimal/no depression symptoms, 25% mild symptoms and 28% moderate/severe symptoms. In multivariate analyses, participants who were cisgender women compared to other genders, sexually diverse v. heterosexual, and food insecure had double the odds of more severe depression symptoms. Among those dating, dating violence was associated with double the odds of moderate/severe depression symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings support tailored interventions to address material (food insecurity), relational (dating violence) and symbolic (gender and sexual orientation norms) contextual factors associated with depression among adolescents in the NWT.