Observational studyInternational journal of circumpolar health2016
Anthropometric indices of First Nations children and youth on first entry to Manitoba/Saskatchewan residential schools-1919 to 1953.
Observational study in International journal of circumpolar health, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cree Food Knowledge and Being Well.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Reflecting on the relationship between residential schools and TB in Canada.The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease · 2022Article
- Providing culturally safe care to Indigenous people living with diabetes: Identifying barriers and enablers from different perspectives.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2021Article
- Engaging indigenous patient partners in patient-oriented research: lessons from a one-year initiative.Research involvement and engagement · 2020Article
- Two Row Wampum, Human Rights, and the Elimination of Tuberculosis from High-Incidence Indigenous Communities.Health and human rights · 2019Article
- "Hunger was never absent": How residential school diets shaped current patterns of diabetes among Indigenous peoples in Canada.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2017Article
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3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
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Abstract
backgroundFirst Nations people are experiencing increasing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes but no anthropometric information exists from before the 1950s to provide context to these epidemics.
objectiveTo compare anthropometric indices of First Nations children and youth on first entering residential schools with historical and contemporary reference groups.
methodsThis observational cross-sectional study used archival records from the Department of Indian Affairs to calculate body mass index (BMI), height for age (HA) and weight for age (WA) of all known children and youth undergoing physical examinations on first entering residential schools in Saskatchewan and Manitoba from 1919 to 1953. Proportions of children and youth in each BMI category were determined by age, sex, time period and residential school. Z-scores for HA and WA were determined by age group and sex. Finally, median heights and weights were compared with a non-Indigenous cohort from the 1953 Canadian survey.
resultsOn admission to residential schools, 1,767 First Nations children and youth (847 boys, 920 girls) were more likely to have normal BMIs (79.8%) than Canadian children and youth today (66.5%), but lower rates of overweight/obesity (10.9% vs. 32.0%) and higher rates of underweight (9.3% vs. <2.0%). There was an overall trend of diminishing levels of underweight and increasing levels of overweight/obesity over time. Although 6.6% of boys and 7.9% of girls had HA Z-scores >-2, age-specific median heights tended to be higher than Canadian children and youth in 1953. Under 3% of children and youth had WA Z-scores of >-2.
conclusionsA large majority of First Nations children and youth exhibited normal anthropometric indices on first entering residential schools in Manitoba and Saskatchewan from 1919 to 1953. These historical findings provide an important context to the current epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes and suggest that the nutritional conditions in these First Nations children's communities were satisfactory during the residential school era.
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