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Data are from the 2006 Aboriginal Children’s Survey (ACS).9 The ACS was conducted by Statistics Canada and sponsored by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, and developed with input from Aboriginal advisors and Aboriginal people from across the country. The target population consisted of First Nations children living off reserve, Métis children and Inuit children in the 10 provinces, and all children living in the three territories. Rather than the term “North American Indian,” which was used on the ACS, the term “First Nations” is used throughout this report.

The sample was selected from households with children younger than age 6 who were identified as Aboriginal in the 2006 Census. Children living on First Nation reserves were not included in the sample; thus, the results of this analysis may not apply to the on-reserve population, who made up an estimated 47% of First Nations children aged 0 to 5 in the 2006 Census.10 Details about the ACS are available elsewhere.8

The current study pertains to children aged 2 to 5 (unweighted n = 7,450). Infants were excluded because a large part of their diet consists of breast milk and formula, which were not a focus of the present study.

The parent/guardian provided socio-demographic information about the child. Based on 2006 Census data, children were identified as living in an urban area (Census Metropolitan Area /Census Agglomeration) or not. A census metropolitan area (CMA) or a census agglomeration (CA) is formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a large urban area (the urban core); the urban core in a CMA must have a population of at least 50,000, and in a CA, at least 10,000.11

The parent/guardian was asked how often the child usually consumes the following foods and beverages: milk and milk products; fish, eggs and meat; fast food and processed foods; fruit (excluding juice); vegetables; bread and pasta; soft drinks and juice; and salty snacks, sweets and desserts. Consumption frequency per day, per week, per month or per year was recorded.

Respondents were also asked if and how often the child eats traditional or country foods: bannock or fry bread; salt and fresh water fish; large game animals such as deer, moose or caribou; game birds such as goose, duck, partridge or ptarmigan; small game animals such as rabbit or muskrat; and sea-based mammals such as whale, seal or walrus.

Statistical comparisons were not made between Aboriginal groups because of differences in geographical locale and culture. However, to examine within-group variations based on geography, chi-square tests were performed between children who did or did not live in a CMA/CA. Survey sampling weights were applied to account for the complex survey design, and a bootstrapping technique was applied when calculating estimates of variance.12

This article has a number of limitations. The ACS list of dietary items was limited and did not include some key items (for example, cereals and some types of traditional foods). Information was collected on the frequency of consumption, not the amount consumed. Thus, it is not possible to determine if the child met intake recommendations. Because the ACS did not include Aboriginal children living on reserves, the findings cannot be generalized to the on-reserve population. The ACS was conducted during the winter (October to March), which may have influenced the availability of certain foods, and thereby, misrepresented consumption patterns. Finally, consumption frequency was reported by the parent/guardian, not the child. However, given the young ages of the sample, the parent/guardian is likely a more reliable source of information about the child’s diet.