User:SonOfTheHoundOfTheSea/First Nations nutrition experiments

Background
-Here I will discuss the nutrition research being done in Canada at the time, and the first study about nutrition in First Nations communities that lead to the first nations nutrition experiements

1942 trip sponsored by Indian Affairs, Milbank Memorial fund, Royal Canadian Air Forrce, Hudson's Bay Company

Goal: "study state of nutrition in Indigenous communities by newly developed medical procedures"

Subjects: 400 indigenous residents

Findings: terrible nutritional conditions

-Study connected these findings to the "indian problem",proposed a longer more intensive study to test nutritional interventions on malnourished indigenous populations.

The James Bay Survey
The 1947-1948 James Bay Survey expanded on the previous Northern Manitoba study, and sought to investigate the connection between nutrition and health in Northern Canada. Dr. Percy Moore and Dr. Frederick Tisdall remained the primary researchers. The subjects of the study were the residents of the Attawapiskat First Nation, and the Cree Nation of Waskaganish. A primary goal of the study was to investigate "possible methods for augmenting or improving the food supplies of the Bush Indians".

- "levels of malnutrition due to increasing dependence of aboriginal people on "store foods" (imported goods) and way from "country foods" (fish/game/berries)."

-key strategy: "introduce vitamin supplements and fortified foods into the diet of aboriginal people through relief allotments and residential schools. "

-limit kind of goods that could be purchased with Family Allowances, could not collect allowances by cash like all other canadians, but had a separate system here they could only buy food that was high nutritive value

In 1984, as a part of a press release promoting the nutritional study, Indian Affairs stated

"They have abandoned the native eating habits of their forefathers and adopted a semi- civilized, semi native diet which lacks essential food values, brings them to malnutrition and leaves them prey to tuberculosis and other disease. The white man, who unintentionally is responsible for the Indians’ changed eating habits, now is trying to salvage the red man by directing him towards proper food channels"