Important psychosocial factors to target in nutrition interventions to improve diet in Inuvialuit communities in the Canadian Arctic

Abstract

Background: With increasing chronic disease amongst Inuvialuit in the Canadian Arctic, research on dietary behaviours and their determinants in this population is needed to develop nutritional behaviour change intervention strategies. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, self‐efficacy and intentions towards healthy eating and healthy eating behaviours of Inuvialuit adults in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. Methods: The Adult Impact Questionnaire was developed from behavioural theories and workshops held in the communities. It was conducted with adult Inuvialuit (≥19 years) from randomly selected households in three NWT communities to collect data on the psychosocial constructs of healthy food knowledge, self‐efficacy and intentions, and the dietary behaviours of healthy and unhealthy food acquisition and preparation. Associations between demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial constructs and behaviours were analysed using multivariate linear regression. Results: The 228 participants [mean (SD) age 43.4 (13.6) years; response rates 65–85%] acquired non‐nutrient‐dense foods a mean (SD) of 2.7 (3.0) times more frequently than nutrient‐dense, low sugar and low fat foods. Increased intention was associated with a greater frequency of acquiring healthy foods (β = 0.17, P = 0.012) and a lower frequency of acquiring unhealthy foods (β = −0.18, P = 0.008). Overall, participants reported using food preparation methods that reduce fat content slightly more than methods that add fat [mean (SD) score 0.3 (1.9)]. Use of healthier food preparation methods was associated with higher levels of healthy food knowledge (β = 0.26, P < 0.001), self‐efficacy (β = 0.29, P < 0.001) and intentions (β = 0.22, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Healthy food intention was the construct most significantly associated with all three healthier dietary behaviours. Interventions that target intentions to change food choice and preparation may be effective strategies to improve dietary intake in Inuvialuit populations.

Factors Associated with Home Meal Preparation and Fast-Food Sources Use among Low-Income Urban African American Adults

“…In this study, factors affecting low-income AA HMP in Baltimore, including beliefs, attitudes, and psychosocial factors toward healthy eating, are comparable to those affecting other demographic groups (Fulkerson et al 2010; Kornides et al 2014; Kramer et al 2012; Mead et al 2010). For example, positive perceptions concerning healthy food were positively and significantly associated with higher frequencies of HMP among children and adolescents in Canada (Woodruff and Kirby 2013), African American youth in Baltimore (Kramer et al 2012), adolescents and parents of various socioeconomic statuses in Minnesota (Fulkerson et al 2010), and Inuvialuit adults in Canada (Mead et al 2010).…”

Supporting Inuit food security: A synthesis of initiatives in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Northwest Territories

“…The Inuvialuit component of HFN included three of the six ISR communities, where two received the intervention and one served as a control group with delayed intervention. Program impacts were evaluated in relation to psychosocial (Mead, Gittelsohn, De Roose, & Sharma, 2010a;Mead, Gittelsohn, Roache, Corriveau, & Sharma, 2013) socio-economic , healthy eating behaviour, and diet quality outcomes (Bains et al, 2014;Kolahdooz, Butler, et al, 2014;Zotor et al, 2012). Overall, HFN showed some success in mitigating the negative impacts of the nutrition transition among Inuvialuit.…”

Impact of the Healthy Foods North nutrition intervention program on Inuit and Inuvialuit food consumption and preparation methods in Canadian Arctic communities

“…There was a significant increase in the use of healthy preparation methods within 12 months. The pre-intervention evaluation of this population indicated that pan-frying with fat was one of the most frequently reported methods of preparation [18,19]. Post-intervention results from the intervention communities indicated a decrease in the use of this method and a concurrent increase in the use of pan-frying methods that did not add fat, thereby reducing added fat consumption in the population under intervention.…”

“…In addition, recent studies found a high prevalence of preparation methods that add fat to foods (e.g. frying with lard) [18,19]; these preparation methods are determinants of fat intake [20,21] and risk factors for impaired glucose tolerance [22] among Inuit and Inuvialuit populations.…”