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THE EVIDENCE OF THE PROBLEM
The prevalence of type two diabetes has increased in incidence to the extent that it is now considered an epidemic among First Nations people. Prior to the 1940�s, diabetes in First Nations communities was virtually unheard of (Ship 2002). Currently, the rate of diabetes in the Aboriginal communities is 2-5 times the national average. This rapid increase is indicative of the sociocultural changes experienced by Aboriginal people in the past few decades (Young, Reading, Elias, O�neil, 2000. According to the results of the first Nations and Inuit Regional Health Survey, one out of four individuals on reserve over 45 years of age has diabetes (Aboriginal diabetes initiative, 2000).
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