(February 01, 2010 — Iqaluit, Nunavut) Nunavut Tunngavik President Paul Kaludjak today responded to the Canadian Medical Association Journal report entitled Food insecurity among Inuit preschoolers: Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey, 2007-2008.

NTI played a participatory role in the creation of the Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey (a companion piece to the Inuit Health Survey) to give Inuit communities, advocates, researchers, and policy-makers access to credible, peer reviewed research that provides a snapshot of the health of Inuit children, aged 3-5 in Nunavut.

In regards to the findings on the type of foods children consume, NTI President Paul Kaludjak said, “Inuit should be proud that our mothers breastfeed children much more than southern Canadians, and that traditional foods continue to be eaten as an integral part of our diet. I am concerned and alarmed, however, at the amount of unhealthy store-bought food Inuit children consume, such as sugary drinks, candy, and junk food. Too much junk food is damaging to child development.”

The article also noted that a shockingly large number of Inuit children go hungry.

“When we see the majority of children experiencing food insecurity, we are compelled to act. It is unacceptable that our young children do not have enough to eat. All governments must focus on enabling Inuit children to have access to healthy, affordable food,” said Kaludjak.