First Nations Food Nutrition and Environment Study (FNFNES) Project Update

Submitted by Peggy Pyke-Thompson

Akwesasne is one of eighteen First Nations communities in Ontario that have been selected randomly to participate in the First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study. Eight Community Research Assistants (CRA(s)) from Akwesasne have been trained to properly survey community members for this project. Surveyors have until December 13, 2012 to collect all the data for the study, so we are asking our community for assistance in achieving our goal of 200 surveys in two months. All data collected is confidential.

There are five components to the study:

A household interview consisting of a one-year food frequency questionnaire, a 24 hour food recall and a brief social, health and lifestyle questionnaire

A drinking water sample for trace metals

Surface water sampling for pharmaceuticals (from 3 bodies of water)

Hair sampling for mercury

Sampling of traditional foods for nutrient and contaminant analysis.

This project will help us to make decisions on whether or not we should revise some of the food advisories that we have on consumption of fish and other traditional foods including venison, moose, maple syrup, berries, corn, beans, squash and other edible plants and foods that we continue to eat today. Some of the plants that are used for medicinal teas may also be tested.

CURRENTLY WE HAVE:

Over 100 surveys completed, out of 200 required

53 hair samples collected for mercury analysis

63 willing to have their tap water sampled and do a repeat 24 hour recall

77 traditional food samples

IN THE NEXT 4 WEEKS:

Surface water samples will be collected CRAs will be completing the remaining interviews and repeat 24 hour recalls

Water technicians will be completing HH tap water sampling the last week of Nov, HHs selected will be contacted

An additional Traditional Food drive will be held at the St Regis Mohawk Seniors Center on Friday, November 16, 2012 (Traditional Food can also be brought to CIA III, call ahead of time)

We can take hair samples for mercury analysis for people who were not part of random sample 6 MONTHS:

Mercury results from hair analyses will be sent to each person who contributed a sample.

NEXT YEAR:

Results brought back to community via in person presentations by the national research coordinators from Assembly of First Nations, University of Northern British Columbia and University of Montreal.

List of traditional foods for consideration for the FNFNES traditional food sampling. Created with input from CRAs 11/10/2012

5 REPLICATES OF EACH NEEDED

Beans, green

Beans, other

Beans, wax

Blueberries

Choke cherries

Duck, Black

Duck, Mallard

Duck, Pintail

Duck, Pintail

Eel

Elderberry

Fiddlehead

Goose, Canada

Goose, Snow

High bush cranberry

Leeks, wild

Low bush cranberry

Maple sap

Maple syrup

Moose, meat

Muskrat, meat

Perch

Pike

Puffball

Rabbit meat

Raspberries

Squash, butternut

Squash, zucchini

Squash, pumpkin

Strawberries

Sturgeon

Sweet flag, root

Turkey, wild meat

Turtle socks, leaves

Venison, meat

White corn, ash washed

White corn, lye processed

Witch hazel, stem

Walleye

Bass, large mouth

Bass, small mouth

Catfish, channel

Catfish, brown bullhead

Wild rice

Nut, hazel

Nut, butternut

Nut, hickory

Beets

Carrots

Cabbage

Cucumber

Wild grapes

Onions

Peppers

Sweet corn

Turnip

Radish

Tobacco