Recipients
Hassanali Vatanparast
Little is known about the nutritional and health status of immigrants and refugees in Saskatchewan. Dr. Hassanali Vatanparast is identifying the major nutrition and health issues and intervention needs for immigrant and refugee families, particularly the more vulnerable group of children in the age range of three to 13 years.
Dr. Vatanparast is studying 125 refugee children and 125 immigrant children, along with their primary caregivers. At the child level, he is assessing dietary intake, serum Vitamin D status, physical activity level, bone and body composition, blood sugar and lipid profile, blood pressure, weight, height and waist circumference. At the family level, he is using Statistics Canada tools to determine socio-demographics and food security status. He is also reviewing the current support system for immigrants and refugees with regard to nutrition and health services.
By conducting this study, Dr. Vatanparast intends to provide a comprehensive picture of the health and nutrition status of immigrant and refugee families, particularly children. A committee from collaborating organizations will translate his findings to recommendations for policy makers, service providers and the research community.
