Benefits of traditional food in Dene/Métis communities.
Data collected in 16 Dene/Métis communities are used to illustrate the many nutritional, economic, and sociocultural benefits associated with the harvest and consumption of traditional food by indigenous peoples. These include exceptional nutrient composition, absence of industrial processing that changes quality and taste properties, taste preference, reasonable cost compared to market food, quality of the time spent on the land, increased physical activity, sharing of the harvest within the community, opportunity to practice spirituality, and encouragement for children to discover the natural environment. The importance of traditional food to the health of individuals and communities can be directly related to the nutritional value of the food itself, the physical activity associated with its procurement, and its role in mediating positive health determinants such as self-efficacy and locus of control.
Receveur
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Centre for Indigenous Peoples' Nutrition and Environment (CINE), McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada.
Kuhnlein
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HV
D044467:American Indian or Alaska Native; D001110:Arctic Regions; D002170:Canada; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003469:Culture; D004032:Diet / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005504:Food Analysis; D006801:Humans; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011788:Quality of Life