Inuit communities face severe malnutrition linked to high food insecurity, loss of traditional country foods (seal, fish, caribou), and reliance on expensive, nutrient-poor store-bought items. Over 62 percent of Inuit households are food insecure, with rates up to 68 percent in Nunavut, leading to deficiencies in vitamin D, iron, zinc, vitamins A C E, and n-3 fatty acids.

This dietary transition, driven by Seal Ban, climate change, pollution (mercury in seafood), poverty, and colonial impacts, correlates with resurgence of TB (disease of poverty) and other chronic issues. Bhullar 2017 highlights nutritional interventions like traditional foods (seal oil meat rich in vitamins minerals) as key to TB control in Nunavut. Similar studies show declining traditional food intake worsens micronutrient gaps and overall health.

Continued support for country food programs and databases like InuAI can help restore access and knowledge.