This page gives you some links to research that is available on obesity and Aboriginal child health.

We’re working to develop a literature review on obesity in Aboriginal children in Ontario. If you would like to make us aware of any research or products on this topic, please email us.

How we do our research

All research that we do is being guided and led by Aboriginal people. Our advisory council is guiding the ways in which we do our research, but we aim to use culturally appropriate ways of gathering information. For example, this may include offering tobacco bundles to people who inform our research. It may mean using sharing circles instead of “focus groups.” It might also mean that we let our informants read and approve the information we have gathered from them before we publish it in our toolkit.

Who has been helping us with our research

We are honoured and grateful to have the input of many talented people from across Ontario. We met with the following people to ask them for ideas on how parents and service providers can help to improve the health of our Aboriginal children. We’ll be sharing insight from most of these people in our toolkit and training.
Thank you to all of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, listed below in alphabetical order, who have provided valuable information, advice, and enthusiasm for this important project: 

• Michael Mahkwa Auksi, addiction therapy student, personal training specialist
• Ellen Blais, Aboriginal midwife and high-risk infant specialist at Native Child and Family Services of Toronto
• Jeffrey Cyr, proud Métis father of three, stepfather of another three, senior policy advisor with the Government of Canada
• Joanne Dallaire (Shadow Hawk Woman), Omushkego, Swampy Cree from Attawapiskat Ontario, Wolf clan, Elder at Healing Works
• Donelda DeLaRonde, Elder and director of Red Sky Métis Independent Nation
• Melanie Francis, diabetes educator and Healthy Babies Healthy Children worker at M’Chigeeng Health Centre
• Kelly Gordon, Aboriginal nutrition consultant, registered dietitian
• Jaime Koebel, artist, professional Métis cultural dancer, research and development officer for the Métis Settlements General Council
• Lucie Idlout, Inuk musician, role model, runner
• Heidi Langille, Inuk mother of four, coordinator of the Bridging the Gap, School Age Program, and manager of youth programs at Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre
• Dr. Lynn Lavallee, sports and recreation expert, social work professor at Ryerson University
• Diane Longboat, Elder at Six Nations
• Miche Jette, communications officer at Aboriginal Healing Foundation
• Cory Koski, Red Sky Métis Independent Nation
• Ernie Sandy, Traditional Teacher, Ojibway language instructor at York University
• Laura Spero, FASD prevention and awareness educator at the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Center
• Sabrina Boucher, Healthy Eating and Active Living Program Coordinator at the Anishnawbe Mushkiki Aboriginal Community Health Centre in Thunder Bay