Hunting can increase physical activity of Indigenous peoples in Canada: pixem re yecwme'nstut

Abstract

This study examined whether Indigenous people could achieve the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines (CPAG) recommendations for adults while engaging in the cultural practice of hunting. It was hypothesized that Indigenous hunters would achieve or surpass the physical activity thresholds set forth by the CPAG on days spent hunting. Step count and heart rate were recorded from six male participants during mule deer hunts and days spent on-reserve. Step count was not statistically different between days spent hunting (28803 ± 10657 steps) and on-reserve (15086 ± 7536 steps) (p = 0.10). The duration of sedentary activity was not statistically different between days spent hunting (531 ± 188 minutes) versus on-reserve (455 ± 117 minutes) (p = 0.34). Low (63 ± 38; 70 ± 65 minutes) (p = 0.86), moderate (32 ± 31; 22 ± 22 minutes) (p = 0.67) and vigorous (24 ± 29; 5 ± 6 minutes) intensity physical activity duration was not statistically different between hunting and on-reserve days. On hunting days, duration of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (55 ± 58 minutes) exceeded CPAG. Trends in the data suggest that hunting is likely a viable mode of physical activity for Indigenous adults to achieve health benefits, and future studies should evaluate multiple communities to achieve a larger sample size to facilitate academic statistical methodology. However, physical activity measurements suggest that health researchers’ and clinicians should consider traditional activities such as hunting as a means for Indigenous adults to increase participation in sufficiently vigorous physical activity to incur health benefits.