Why are aboriginal people at greater risk for diabetes?
Many years ago, diabetes was not a concern for aboriginal people. In earlier times, aboriginal people needed to be very active in order to survive, and they also ate traditional foods. Some people think that the change in lifestyle for aboriginal people has caused people to be less active and eat different foods. The sudden change of lifestyle puts aboriginal people at a greater risk for developing diabetes than other Canadians. Aboriginal people in Canada are at greater risk for developing Type 2 diabetes than other Canadians. Aboriginal children are also now being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, a condition that in the past occurred mainly in older persons. Inuit rates of diabetes are not as high as other aboriginal populations, however there is fear that the rates of Type 2 are increasing among Inuit as well.
