Calories are cheap, nutrients are expensive – The challenge of healthy living in Arctic communities

Indigenous Peoples living in rural and remote regions of Canada, the United States, and Australia experience the highest food prices in each country. High food prices, low incomes, and limited access to nutritious perishable foods foster increased reliance on poor quality non-perishable foods. In northern Canada, Inuit experience food insecurity at over eight times the rate of the general Canadian population. This study aims to contribute to the evidence-base for informing food policy in remote northern communities by documenting food prices and investigating the economic dimensions of diet quality and nutrition in one region of Arctic Canada. A participatory food costing study was undertaken seasonally in six communities of the western Canadian Arctic during a 14-month period (late 2014 to early 2016). Community research assistants systematically collected food prices for a list of 106 market foods. Food prices in the region were markedly higher than the national average. The average cost of the Revised Northern Food Basket (to feed a family of four for one week) was CAD $410, over two times the equivalent cost of feeding a family of four in the capital city of Ottawa (CAD $192). Results from this study also provide evidence of significant price differentials between energy-dense nutrient-poor foods, and costlier nutrient-rich foods. Evidenced-based policy is needed to overcome the unique challenges of food retailing in remote northern environments. Such policies must be pursued with due recognition of community priorities and self-determination, and pursued in parallel to initiatives that enhance access to traditional (country) food.