Obesity is another health disadvantage suffered by aboriginal people living off-reserve in Western Canada and Ontario, says a new study.
"Previous research has shown that off-reserve aboriginal people are more likely than other Canadians to report chronic health problems, notably conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and arthritis, which have been linked to obesity," said the published Wednesday in Health Reports.
Those aged 19 to 50 were two-and-a-half times more likely to be obese or overweight when compared to non-aboriginals, it said.
The difference primarily stemmed from higher rates of obesity in aboriginal women, especially those aged 19 to 30, it said. For aboriginal women in that age range, higher calorie intake appears to be the culprit. They ate 359 calories per day more than their non-aboriginal counterparts.
The report found no statistically significant differences in calorie intake between aboriginal and non-aboriginal men, or between aboriginal and non-aboriginal women aged 31 to 50.
Besides eating habits, the study speculated that differences in excess may also reflect differences between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in income, education and leisure-time physical activity.
Income levels, education and leisure-time physical activity have been shown to be important factors.
Differences
However, "in this study, the relationships between these factors and obesity among off-reserve aboriginal people were not necessarily the same as those reported for the total population," the study said.
Low incomes were associated with a higher rate of obesity for aboriginals, but not for non-aboriginals.
"When other factors were taken into consideration, this relationship was no longer significant," it said.
For non-aboriginals, excess weight is more common among those in low-education households. "Low education" is defined as a household where no member graduated from high school.
"By contrast, off-reserve aboriginal people in low-education households were less likely than those living in higher-education households to be overweight or obese," the report said.
Inactivity and excess weight were associated in both aboriginal and non-aboriginal people.
"While both groups were equally likely to be inactive, the consequences seemed somewhat greater for aboriginal people. Among those who were inactive, 50 per cent of off-reserve Aboriginal people were obese, compared with 23 per cent of non-Aboriginal people," the study said.
Following the food guide
Aboriginal people aren't necessarily following the Canada Food Guide recommendations, especially when it comes to fruits, vegetables, grain and milk products, the report said.
Aboriginal men consumed about a half-serving less per day of milk products than did non-aboriginal men. Aboriginal women ate almost one serving less per day of veggies, fruits and grain products than non-aboriginals.
The differences really show up in "other" foods, which includes things like candy, oil, soft drinks and condiments.
"'Other foods' made up more than 35 per cent of the average daily calories of off-reserve aboriginal women aged 19 to 30, compared with 24 per cent for non-Aboriginal women," the study said.
"This difference alone explains 90 of the higher daily caloric intake of aboriginal women aged 19 to 30."
The study also found that aboriginal women in the 19-30 category ate substantially more "other" foods between meals than their non-aboriginal counterparts.
