Measurement of diet quality among First Nations peoples in Canada and associations with health: a scoping review

Abstract

Background Given the increasing number and the diversity of dietary quality indices used for research, and the differences between settings, there is a need to identify valid indices of dietary quality in different contexts and populations and to identify their associations with health-related outcomes. Objectives The primary objective of this scoping review is to identify the tools used in determining dietary quality among First Nations and to describe the changes in diet. The second objective is to describe the associations identified in studies that have measured the relationship between health and dietary quality among First Nations; and the third objective is to identify factors associated with diet quality. Methods PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Global Health, and Web of Science were searched from inception to June 2021 and updated in February 2022. Articles were included if the research subjects were First Nations, or if articles reported disaggregated subset data for First Nations. Eligible studies focused on nutrition and diet and were published in English or French. Results A total of 151 articles were included in the analysis. Studies used several indicators to measure if individuals adhered to dietary guidelines. Traditional food consumption was frequently used as an indicator of diet quality (n = 96). The consumption of store-bought foods was used as an indicator in 28 studies. Some studies used other diet quality indicators such as the Healthy Eating Index (n = 5) and ultra-processed food “NOVA” classification (n = 6). A trend for decreasing traditional food intake over time was apparent, alongside an increase in store-bought food intake. This trend was accompanied with declining health status, including the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, diabetes, metabolic diseases, and dental caries. Conclusion This scoping review showed that diet quality among First Nations is improved when traditional foods are consumed. Reduced diet quality was associated with increased risk of noncommunicable diseases.