Socioeconomic and Cultural Correlates of Diet Quality in the Canadian Arctic: Results from the 2007-2008 Inuit Health Survey.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the impact of socioeconomic and cultural factors on dietary quality in adult Inuit living in the Canadian Arctic.


METHODS
Interviews and a 24-h dietary recall were administered to 805 men and 1292 women from Inuit regions in the Canadian Arctic. We examined the effect of age, sex, education, income, employment, and cultural variables on respondents' energy, macronutrient intake, sodium/potassium ratio, and healthy eating index. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on diet quality indicators.


RESULTS
Age was positively associated with traditional food (TF) consumption and greater energy from protein but negatively associated with total energy and fibre intake. Associations between SES and diet quality differed considerably between men and women and there was considerable regional variability in diet quality measures. Age and cultural variables were significant predictors of diet quality in logistic regression. Increased age and use of the Inuit language in the home were the most significant predictors of TF consumption.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings are consistent with studies reporting a nutrition transition in circumpolar Inuit. We found considerable variability in diet quality and complex interaction between SES and cultural variables producing mixed effects that differ by age and gender.
a Department of Anthropology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB.
Tracey
T
Galloway
b Centre for Indigenous Peoples' Nutrition and Environment, School of Dietetics and Nutrition, McGill University, Montreal, QC.
Louise
L
Johnson-Down
c Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen.
Grace M
GM
Egeland
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001110:Arctic Regions; D002170:Canada; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003469:Culture; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005502:Food / Q000191:economics; D063427:Food Quality; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D004930:Inuit; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009753:Nutritive Value; D017419:Potassium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D017419:Potassium, Dietary; D012982:Sodium, Dietary