Seasonal and Community Size-Related Patterns of Population Dietary Energy, Macronutrients, and Fiber Purchased in Grocery Stores across Nunavut, Canada

Abstract

Background

Food composition-linked grocery sales data provide time- and resource-efficient, low-bias population nutrition insights. This is particularly valuable in the Inuit-majority territory of Nunavut, Canada, where up-to-date diet-related data are lacking amid a nutrition transition.

Objectives

We aimed to investigate whether, in 21 Nunavut communities served by a market-dominant retailer: 1) mean daily per capita sales of energy, macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrate), and fiber; 2) percentage of energy from each macronutrient; 3) mean daily energy density; and 4) food category contributions to sales of energy, macronutrients, and fiber differed across the 1) 6 Inuit-defined seasons and 2) 5 community size levels (with the territorial capital, Iqaluit, representing the highest level).

Methods

Each of 24,463 unique products sold between 1 February, 2013, and 31 July, 2019 was matched to its closest nutritional equivalent in the Canadian Nutrient File or the United States FoodData Central database for energy, macronutrient, and fiber values to be multiplied by product amount. Per capita standardization was performed with 2016 Census data. Analysis of variance tested for the statistical significance of differences in means.

Results

Consumer nutrition patterns were seasonally consistent. In the 4 community size levels other than Iqaluit, percentage of energy from protein was relatively low (9%–10%), percentage of energy from carbohydrate was high (63%–66%), and food energy density was high (295–319 kcal/100 edible g). Purchases were least energy-dense in Iqaluit and the largest community size quartile (276 and 295 kcal/100 edible g, respectively). Among 16 categories and across community size levels, Beverages and Juices & Drinks constituted roughly one-fifth of energy and one-third of carbohydrates sold. Sale of fiber was consistently low (6–7 g/capita/day).

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this is the first analysis of nutrient-linked grocery sales data in the Arctic. Our findings reveal energy-dense, high-carbohydrate, low-protein, low-fiber store-bought grocery sales in the context of an advanced nutrition transition in Nunavut.