Contemporary Use of Traditional and Imported Food among Greenlandic Inuit

Abstract

ABSTRACT. A health interview survey was carried out in Greenland in 1993-94 among randomly selected adult Inuit (N = 1580) to gather information about people's perceptions of their own health and living conditions. Questions about preference for and frequency of consumption of selected traditional and imported food items were included in the questionnaire. Preference ratings show that traditional food was well liked in all age groups, but especially by the elders. The questionnaire showed more pronounced differences between age groups in how frequently traditional foods were consumed. Residence in a village or a remote part of the country, male gender, and a traditional upbringing were also good predictors of a high consumption of traditional food. On average, seal meat was the most frequently consumed traditional food, eaten daily by 20% of respondents, followed by fish (17%), wildfowl (10%), whale meat (6%), and terrestrial animals (2%). Imported food items like potatoes, cheese, and fruit syrup were consumed daily by more than 70%. Two concerns for the future are the decreasing consumption of traditional food among the younger generations and the possible contribution of contaminants in traditional food to this trend.Key words: traditional food, diet, food preferences, food frequency questionnaire, Greenland, Inuit RÉSUMÉ. Une enquête par entrevue sur la santé a été menée au Groenland en 1993-1994 parmi des Inuits adultes (N = 1580) pris au hasard, afin de collecter de l'information sur la perception qu'avaient les gens de leur propre santé et de leurs conditions de vie. Le questionnaire portait entre autres sur la préférence pour certains aliments traditionnels et importés ainsi que sur la fréquence de leur consommation. Les taux de préférence montrent que les aliments traditionnels étaient très appréciés dans tous les groupes d'âges, mais surtout par les aînés. Le questionnaire révélait des différences plus nettes entre les groupes d'âges quant à la fréquence à laquelle les aliments traditionnels étaient consommés. Le fait d'habiter un village ou une région reculée du pays, l'appartenance au sexe masculin et une éducation traditionnelle étaient également de bons paramètres de prévision d'une grande consommation d'aliments traditionnels. En moyenne, la viande de phoque était l'aliment traditionnel consommé le plus fréquemment, soit sur une base quotidienne par 20 p. cent des répondants, suivie par le poisson (17 p. cent), le gibier à plume (10 p. cent), la viande de baleine (6 p. cent) et les animaux terrestres (2 p. cent). Des aliments importés comme la pomme de terre, le fromage et le sirop de fruit étaient consommés sur une base quotidienne par plus de 70 p. cent des répondants. La diminution chez les jeunes générations de la consommation d'aliments traditionnels et la contribution possible à cette tendance de la présence de contaminants dans les aliments traditionnels constituent deux sujets de préoccupation.Mots clés: alimentation traditionnelle, régime, préférences alimentaires, questionnaire portant s...

The association between n-3 fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes and insulin resistance: The inuit health in transition study

“…Since the 1950s, substantial lifestyle changes have occurred in Greenland, including a change from a traditional marine diet to a more Western-inspired diet (4)(5)(6). Despite the transition to a more Westernized diet, the intake of sea mammals and fish and hence the intake of n-3 fatty acids remains much higher among Greenlanders as compared to most other populations.…”

“…Despite the transition to a more Westernized diet, the intake of sea mammals and fish and hence the intake of n-3 fatty acids remains much higher among Greenlanders as compared to most other populations. The level of adaptation to the Westernized lifestyle varies between the different regions in Greenland, and a higher intake of fish and sea mammals is still prevalent in the villages as compared to the towns (6). Thus, there is a great variation in the intake of n-3 fatty acids within the Inuit population, which makes this population very suitable for investigations into the association between n-3 fatty acids and insulin resistance.…”

Interdisciplinary progress in approaches to address social-ecological and ecocultural systems

“…As a result, it is not uncommon for traditional foods to be a major defining characteristic of society. Local diets epitomize the ways in which a culture uses, classifies and thinks about its natural resources, and strengthens the connection between a society, its landscape and its ancestral roots (Pars et al 2001;Pretty 2002;Tansey 2004;Raine 2005;Willows et al 2009). Moreover, there is a growing evidence base which suggests that traditional diet can offer physical health benefits (Samson & Pretty 2006;Johnston et al 2007;Pretty 2007).…”

“…At the same time, residents of industrial towns who do not have the time to hunt (for example on the west coast) are able to purchase healthier traditional foods (Nuttall 1998). To ensure price competition does not drive down populations, all country foods are sold at fixed prices agreed upon by the local hunters' and fishers' association (Marquardt & Caulfield 1996;Pars et al 2001). Hunters are encouraged to sell their surplus catch to Royal Greenland, the national meat and fish processing and distribution company.…”

“…Hunters are encouraged to sell their surplus catch to Royal Greenland, the national meat and fish processing and distribution company. By providing a source of full time income, or even supplementary income for households, the marketization of country foods in Greenland has increased the self sufficiency and cultural continuity of Greenlandic communities (Marquardt & Caulfield 1996;Nuttall 1998;Pars et al 2001). The success of the Greenlandic government demonstrates that an indigenous hybrid economy exists based on a three sector model: private, public and customary.…”