Energy and macronutrients

Energy

• In the 1992 and 1993 surveys, the mean energy intake of Inuit women under 45 ranged from 1869 Calories in Nunavik to 2763 Calories in Gjoa Haven, representing from 98% to 145% of the RNI
• In Nunavik, the reported energy intake among Inuit men under 45 was only 86% of the RNI, but energy intake appeared to be adequate for older men.
• The mean energy intake in Davis Inlet was exceptionally high (178% of the RNI, compared to 110% of the RNI in Fort Severn).
• In Nunavik, men and women aged 45 to 74 obtained about a third of energy from country food, compared to 22% for younger women and 18% for younger men.
• In most of the other communities surveyed, Aboriginal women under 45 obtained from 16% to 21% of energy from country food. Pond Inlet was the exception, with just over a quarter of energy obtained from country food in 1992 and 1997.
• In most communities, Nutritious Perishable and Nonperishable Foods provided similar amounts of energy in young women's diets. The exceptions were Repulse Bay in 1992 and Pond Inlet and Gjoa Haven in 1993, where Non-Perishables provided about twice as much energy as Nutritious Perishables.
• Non-perishable Foods also provided much more energy than Nutritious Perishables among older men and women in Nunavik.
• Foods of Little Nutritional Value (RNI) - mainly sweets, such as fruit drink crystals without vitamin C and soft drinks, and potato chips - provided from 16% to 26% of energy among Inuit women under 45.
• RNI foods contributed only about 5 to 6% of energy to older men and women in Nunavik.

Protein

• In most communities, the mean protein intake was more than double the RNI.
• Protein provided from 18% to 25% of energy for all groups surveyed.
• In all communities, country food provided 40% to 60% of protein.

Fat

• The mean fat intake of Inuit women ranged from 61 grams in Repulse Bay (1992) to 103 grams in Gjoa Haven.
• The mean fat intake of First Nations women was 153 grams in Davis Inlet - almost twice as high as in Fort Severn.
• Inuit women obtained from 28% to 37% of energy from fat and 9% to 12% from saturated fat. Fat and saturated fat intakes exceeded recommendations except in Nain and Repulse Bay (1992 only).⁹
• For First Nations women, fat provided 41% and 33% of energy, respectively, in Davis Inlet and Fort Severn. Saturated fat provided 12.5% of energy in Davis Inlet and 12.1% in Fort Severn.
• In Nunavik, fat was a more important source of energy among Inuit men and women aged 45 to 74 than among those under 45.
• In the communities surveyed, Nutritious Perishable Foods provided an average of 16 to 32 grams of fat in the diet of women under 45, except in Davis Inlet, where these foods provided an average of 83 grams of fat.
• Among the older Inuit of Nunavik, country food provided an average of 33 grams of fat for women and 46 grams of fat for men - just over 40% of their total intake of fat.
• RNI foods provided about one quarter of total fat intake in Repulse Bay and Gjoa Haven and from 10% to 19% of fat in the diet of young Inuit women elsewhere.

Carbohydrate

• Except in Davis Inlet, young women obtained from 39% to 50% of energy from carbohydrate. The percentage was much lower in Davis Inlet (36%) than in Fort Severn (44%).
• In Nunavik, carbohydrate provided only about a third of energy for older adults, compared to 41% for young men and 43% for young women.
• In most Inuit communities, women under 45 obtained about 40% of carbohydrate from sugar and sweets. However, approximately half the carbohydrate in Repulse Bay in 1992 and in Coral Harbour came from these foods.
• In Nunavik, younger adults obtained about one third of their carbohydrate from sugar and sweets, compared to 24% for older women and 29% for older men.

Alcohol

• Since alcohol is prohibited or controlled in many of the communities surveyed, alcohol consumption may have been under-reported. However, the alcohol reported among men under 45 in Nunavik accounted for 5% of their energy intake.

Fibre

• Except in Davis Inlet, mean intakes of fibre were between 5 and 10 grams per day, which is considered low, although there is no RNI for fibre in Canada.
• In most communities, Nutritious Perishable Foods and Non-perishable Foods provided similar amounts of fibre. Non-perishables, however, provided significantly more fibre in Pond Inlet in 1993, and Nutritious Perishables significantly more fibre in Pond Inlet in 1997 and in Fort Severn.

Vitamins and minerals

• Mean intakes of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B₁₂ exceeded requirements.
• Mean intakes of most minerals, except calcium, exceeded requirements.
• In most communities, country food provided over 40% of iron, zinc, phosphorus, riboflavin and niacin, at least a third of thiamin and vitamin B6 and over 80% of vitamin B₁₂.

Vitamin A

• Mean vitamin A intake was below the RNI except in Davis Inlet and among women under 45 in Nunavik.
• The mean intake of vitamin A was only 26% of the RNI in Repulse Bay in 1992, and 49% of the RNI in Nain.
• Country food (principally muktuk) provided significant amounts of vitamin A (>190 RE) for women in Pond Inlet, Arctic Bay, Gjoa Haven and Nunavik. The largest amounts of vitamin A obtained from country food were in Nunavik. Differences among Inuit communities may reflect differences in the timing of the surveys.
• Nutritious Perishable Foods (vegetables, pizza and dairy products) were also an important source of vitamin A, with average amounts ranging from 121 RE in Repulse Bay (1992) to 1117 RE in Davis Inlet, which had large amounts coming from margarine and carrots.
• The mean intake of vitamin A in Repulse Bay increased significantly between 1992 and 1997.

Vitamin C

• In all communities except Gjoa Haven, mean vitamin C intake did not meet recommendations for women under 45, and was only about 28 to 29% of the RDA for Inuit men and women 45 to 74 in Nunavik, using the RDA for smokers.
• In many communities, over half the vitamin C intake came from Non-perishables (primarily fruit drink crystals with vitamin C added).

Folate

• Mean folate intakes were only 22 to 45% of recommended levels for all groups except women in Davis Inlet where it reached 56% of the RDA.
• Mean folate intake was very low among Inuit women in Repulse Bay (22% and 26% of the RDA in 1992 and 1997, respectively) and much less than recommended (39 to 44% of the RDA) among Inuit women and men in Nunavik and among Inuit women in other communities (31 to 38%).
• Mean folate intake was significantly higher in Pond Inlet than in Repulse Bay in 1992 and in 1997.
• Nutritious Perishables were a significant source of folate for young women in all communities. The mean amounts ranged from 27 mcg in Repulse Bay (1992) to 65 mcg in Arctic Bay.
• Mean amounts of folate obtained from Nutritious Perishables in Davis Inlet and Fort Severn reached 91 and 78 mcg, respectively.
• In Nunavik, Inuit under 45 obtained significantly more folate from Nutritious Perishable Foods than those aged 45 to 74.
• Miscellaneous Non-perishable Foods (mainly tea) also provided significant amounts of folate, especially in Davis Inlet and Fort Severn and among older people in Nunavik.

Vitamin B₆

• Mean intakes of vitamin B6 were less than recommended in Pond Inlet in 1993, in Repulse Bay in 1992 and 1997, for young women in Nunavik, and for both women and men 45 and over in Nunavik (69% and 86% of the RDA, respectively).
• Mean calcium intakes were less than half the RDA for young Inuit women in most communities and only half of recommended levels in Arctic Bay and Coral Harbour, and among young men in Nunavik. Mean intakes were higher in Davis Inlet and Fort Severn.
• Except in Gjoa Haven, Inuit women under 45 obtained an average of only 39% to 54% of the recommended intake of calcium.
• Among Inuit aged 45 to 74 in Nunavik, the mean calcium intake was only 28% of the RDA for women, and 36% of the RDA for men.
• In Inuit communities, the amount of calcium obtained from perishable dairy products ranged from a mean of 45 mg in Repulse Bay (1992) to 141 mg in Coral Harbour.
• Fort Severn was exceptional, with a mean intake of 285 mg of calcium from perishable dairy products and 238 mg from non-perishable dairy products.
• Between 1992 and 1997, Nutritious Perishables (mainly pizza) became a more important source of calcium in Repulse Bay.
• The amount of calcium from sweets (fruit drink crystals and chocolate bars) was also significant, reaching as high as 204 mg in Gjoa Haven.
• Miscellaneous Non-perishable Foods (baking powder, macaroni and cheese dinners) and miscellaneous Perishable Foods (frozen pizza) provided significant amounts of calcium in most communities.
• Miscellaneous Non-perishable Foods (mainly baking powder in bannock) were a far more important source of calcium among older men and women in Nunavik than dairy products.

Magnesium

• Mean intakes of magnesium were less than recommended in all communities except Davis Inlet, and were only about 60% of the RDA in Repulse Bay in 1997 and among all four age/sex groups in Nunavik in 1992.

Cholesterol and caffeine

• For Inuit women under 45, mean cholesterol intakes ranged from 291 mg in Repulse Bay to 418 mg in Pond Inlet (1992).
• Cholesterol intake was exceptionally high in Davis Inlet (a mean of 847 mg, twice as high as in Fort Severn).
• Caffeine intake was above the recommended limit (300 mg) in Repulse Bay (1992), Pond Inlet (1993) and Coral Harbour.

⁹ Health Canada recommends that Canadian adults should derive no more than 30% of energy from fat, and no more than 10% of energy from saturated fat.

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