The Circle: The Reality of Diabetes

by Cheryl Cadotte (Spring 1998)

"People of Aboriginal descent are three to five times more likely than the general Canadian population to have or develop diabetes" -- StatsCan

When I hear stats like this the question, "why?" pops into my mind. So, after a bit of digging, I found the high rate of diabetes to be linked to socioeconomic factors like Aboriginal land claims.

Statistics like this aren't that new. International conferences on diabetes and Aboriginal people have been at the forefront of health and research for the last five years. And now there is a National Aboriginal Diabetes Association (NADA) to support such health issues. At NADA's last conference, held late last year, researchers reported diabetes in Native children as young as six years old.

There are two types of diabetes, simply known as Type I (insulin-dependent) and Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes. Toronto researcher, Dr. Bernard Dinman, found the incidence of Type 2 diabetes in Sandy Lake -- a Cree-Ojibwa First Nation's reserve in Northwestern Ontario -- to have not only the highest incidence of diabetes among the Canadian population but the highest (reported) in the world. Researchers have found that genetics play a role in Type 2 diabetes among Aboriginal people. However, genetics do not complete the Aboriginal diabetic picture.

So I started asking questions to find out more. A Métis Elder told me diabetes runs high in Aboriginal communities because traditional foods are no longer consumed as they once were. In the past, hunters and gatherers consumed berries, game, and fruits. Relying on the land was crucial for their well-being and livelihood.

Traditional foods became the medicine of Aboriginal people, consumed moderately as needed. Now our food and eating habits have changed. Food is processed, and high in sugar and fat. As well, our lifestyles have slowed down from the active days of hunting and gathering. Combining a sedentary lifestyle with altered eating habits, obesity sets in more easily, and the risk of diabetes rises.

What should be the response toward restoring health? There is an emphasis on preventive measures, such as moving toward a lower fat and sugar diet, exercising more, and on education. While prevention is a long-term measure, it only captures one part of the solution. A more encompassing solution is needed. If Aboriginal people had local control of resources, they could return to traditional practices and slowly reclaim their helath. By controlling the land, you have control over the quality and type of food that is grown. Moving back to the traditional way means respecting the land, being resourceful and giving thanks to turtle mother earth. And by returning to traditional practices and ultimately achieving self-governance. Aboriginal people can begin to heal their bodies, and more importantly their spirits.

The Métis Voyageur Vol. I No. 2 Spring 1998, p. 13
Métis Nation of Ontario, Toronto, ON

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