Percentage of Indigenous households with children aged 6 to 14 years reporting low and very low food security, by Indigenous identity, Canada, 2012 – The Health of Canada’s Children and Youth

6.3.1 Percentage of Indigenous households with children aged 6 to 14 years reporting low and very low food security, by Indigenous identity, Canada, 2012

Chart
Table

	First Nations	Métis	Inuit	Total Indigenous
Indigenous Identity	18.6	15.2	39	18.7

Note: Excludes persons living on Indian reserves or settlements.

Source: CICH graphic created using data adapted from Statistics Canada. Table 577-0009 – Aboriginal Peoples Survey, food security, by Aboriginal identity, age group, sex, and number of persons in household, population aged 6 years and over, Canada, provinces and territories, occasional.

In 2012, 19% of Indigenous households with children aged 6 to 14 years reported that they were living with low or very low food security.

That was the case for 19% of First Nations households, 15% of Métis households and 39% of Inuit households.

Implications
Indigenous households (excluding those on reserve) have a higher prevalence of socio-demographic risk factors for household food insecurity such as poverty. Household food insecurity is associated with poorer health outcomes including, high stress, anxiety and cigarette smoking among parents, which can have impacts on children’s health and well-being.¹

¹Willows, N., Veugelers, P., Raine, K., & Kuhle, S. (2011). Associations between household food insecurity ad health outcomes in the Aboriginal population (excluding reserves). Health Reports, 22(2), 15-20.