Traditional Food, Health, and Diet Quality in Syilx Okanagan Adults in British Columbia, Canada

In Canada, store-bought food constitutes the majority of First Nations (FN) people’s diets;however, their traditional foods (TF; wild fish, game, fowl, and plants) remains vital for their health.This study compares health indicators and diet quality among 265 Syilx Okanagan adults accordingto whether or not they reported eating TF during a 24-h dietary recall. Three methods assesseddiet quality: nutrient intakes and adequacy, Healthy Eating Index (HEI-C), and contributions ofultra-processed products (UPP) to %energy using the NOVA classification. Fifty-nine participants(22%) reported eating TF during the dietary recall; TF contributed to 13% of their energy intake.There were no significant differences in weight status or prevalence of chronic disease between TFeaters and non-eaters. TF eaters had significantly higher intakes of protein; omega-3 fatty acids;dietary fibre; copper; magnesium; manganese; phosphorus; potassium; zinc; niacin; riboflavin; andvitamins B6, B12, D, and E than non-eaters. TF eaters also had significantly better diet quality basedon the HEI-C and the %energy from UPP. Findings support that TF are critical contributors to the dietquality of FN individuals. Strength-based FN-led interventions, such as Indigenous food sovereigntyinitiatives, should be promoted to improve access to TF and to foster TF consumption.