Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Indigenous peoples currently experience greater rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Being physically fit is associated with better health and lower risk of chronic diseases. This project reviewed all known published research reporting physical fitness among Indigenous children/youth and adults. This included 39 articles. Overall, physical fitness of Indigenous populations has declined over the past 60 years. Males generally demonstrated greater physical fitness than females. In comparison to non-Indigenous people, physical fitness is greater among First Nations men and Inuit youth, though lower among Inuit adults. Declining physical fitness among Indigenous populations may be contributing to increased experiences of chronic diseases. Recent measures of fitness should be undertaken among Indigenous peoples to better understand current physical health and future contributions to chronic disease.