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Comparative Study
. 2007 Apr;97(4):691-5.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2005.080614. Epub 2007 Feb 28.

Prevalence of obesity and its metabolic correlates among the circumpolar inuit in 3 countries

T Kue Young  1 , Peter Bjerregaard, Eric Dewailly, Patricia M Risica, Marit E Jørgensen, Sven E O Ebbesson
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Prevalence of obesity and its metabolic correlates among the circumpolar inuit in 3 countries

T Kue Young et al. Am J Public Health. 2007 Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: We investigated the prevalence of obesity and the metabolic correlates of different levels of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference among the Inuit in 3 countries.

Methods: Data from 4 surveys of Inuit in Canada, Greenland, and Alaska conducted during 1990-2001 were pooled, with a total sample size of 2545 participants. These data were compared with data from a Canadian population of predominantly European origin.

Results: Using the World Health Organization criteria for overweight and obesity, we found that the crude prevalence of overweight among Inuit men and women was 36.6% and 32.5%, respectively, and obesity was 15.8% and 25.5%, respectively. Inuit prevalences were similar to those of the highly developed countries of Europe and North America. As levels of obesity increased, as measured by BMI or waist circumference, the mean values of various metabolic indicators-lipid, glucose, and insulin levels and blood pressure-also increased. However, at each level of BMI or waist circumference, the Inuit had lower blood pressure and lipid levels than did Euro-Canadians.

Conclusions: Our data indicate that universal criteria for obesity may not reflect the same degree of metabolic risk for populations such as the Inuit and suggest that ethnic-specific criteria are needed.

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Figures

FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Age-standardized prevalence of overweight and obesity among Inuit compared with World Health Organization (WHO) regions. Source. Prevalence data for WHO regions are from Tables 8.23 and 8.24 in James et al. Note. AFR = Africa region; SEAR = south-east Asia region; EMR = eastern Mediterranean region; WPR = western Pacific region; EUR = European region; AMR = American region. Age-standardization to the International Agency for Research on Cancer “world population” was by the direct standardization method. Data for WHO regions was based on 5 age groups (15–29, 30–44, 45–59, 60–69, ≥ 70 years); Inuit data were based on 4 age groups (15–29, 30–44, 45–59, ≥ 60 years).
FIGURE 2—
FIGURE 2—
Relation of body mass index (BMI) and mean high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol values, by gender and ethnic group.
FIGURE 3—
FIGURE 3—
Relation of waist circumference and mean triglyceride values, by gender and ethnic group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: The Evidence Report. Bethesda, Md: National Institutes of Health; 1998. NIH publication 98-4083. - PubMed
    1. Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration. Body mass index and cardiovascular disease in the Asia-Pacific Region: an overview of 33 cohorts involving 310000 participants. Int J Epidemiol. 2004;33: 751–758. - PubMed
    1. International Diabetes Federation. The IDF consensus worldwide definition of the metabolic syndrome. 2005 Available at: http://www.idf.org/webdata/docs/MetSyndrome_FINAL.pdf. Accessed December 14, 2006.
    1. Bjerregaard P, Young TK. The Circumpolar Inuit: Health of a Population in Transition. Copenhagen, Denmark: Munksgaard; 1998.

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