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Nutritional status of Quebec Indians
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|December 1, 1981
Summary
This study compared the nutritional status of adult Indigenous peoples in Quebec to national surveys. While most nutrient levels were similar, vitamin A and vitamin C deficiencies were more prevalent than previously observed.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional epidemiology
- Indigenous health
- Biomarkers of nutritional status
Background:
- Previous Nutrition Canada surveys in 1970-1972 identified nutritional concerns in Indigenous populations.
- Understanding the current nutritional status of remote Indigenous communities is crucial for targeted health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the nutritional status of adult Indigenous individuals in a remote Quebec region in 1978.
- To compare these findings with national data from the Nutrition Canada surveys.
Main Methods:
- Blood and urine samples were collected from over 80% of adult Indigenous individuals in three bands.
- Key nutritional biomarkers were analyzed, including hematocrit, iron, vitamin E, folic acid, thiamin, vitamin A, and ascorbic acid.
- Data were compared to results from the 1970 and 1972 Nutrition Canada surveys.
Main Results:
- Hematocrit, serum iron, transferrin saturation, serum vitamin E, serum folic acid, and urine thiamin excretion showed minor differences compared to national and previous Indigenous surveys.
- Serum total protein levels were slightly higher in the Indigenous sample than in the national sample.
- A higher percentage of subjects exhibited low serum concentrations of vitamin A and ascorbic acid compared to the 1970-1972 Indigenous survey, though the difference was not extreme.
Conclusions:
- Nutritional status in this remote Indigenous population in 1978 showed some similarities and minor differences to previous national surveys.
- Increased prevalence of low vitamin A and ascorbic acid warrants attention for public health initiatives in this community.