Access to a Nutritious Food Basket in Eeyou Istchee

Food insecurity occurs when people cannot – or are uncertain of being able to – acquire quality foods in a socially acceptable manner and in sufficient quantity. It is associated with various health impairments and may be caused by insufficient income as well as lack of availability of quality food.

The Montreal Diet Dispensary (MDD) publishes a Nutritious Food Basket (NFB) three times a year since the early 1950's. In the last decade, various Quebec public health organizations, as part of their food security program, have commissioned the MDD to conduct studies on the cost and accessibility of the NFB in their respective regions.

As food insecurity is present in approximately one out of four Eeyouch, the Access to a nutritous food basket in Eeyou Istchee project was planned in the context of health promotion and prevention of chronic diseases.

Objectives

The project aimed to establish the cost and availability of the NFB items in the stores of Eeyou Istchee and nearby urban centres in which the Eeyouch regularly purchase food.

Secondary objectives of the project were the following:

• establish the availability of the NFB items in the region;
• determine the cost per NFB category;
• determine the variation of the average minimal cost of the NFB according to store size and the urbanization and deprivation levels of their site;
• verify the expiration date of some of the NFB items.

Researchers: 
Marie-Paule Duquette, P.Dt. Candice Scatliff, M.Sc. Janine Desrosiers Choquette

A project conducted thanks to a grant from the Public Health Department of the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay.