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Objective: To assess the prevalence of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) among the Inuit population of Greenland and to determine risk factors for developing glucose intolerance.Research Design and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 917 randomly selected adult Inuit subjects living in three areas of Greenland. Diabetes and IGT were diagnosed using the oral glucose tolerance test. BMI and waist-to-hip ratio were measured and blood samples were taken from each subject. Sociodemographic characteristics were investigated using a questionnaire.Results: The age-standardized prevalences of diabetes and IGT were 10.8 and 9.4% among men and 8.8 and 14.1% among women, respectively. Of those with diabetes, 70% had not been previously diagnosed. Significant risk factors for diabetes were family history of diabetes, age, BMI, and high alcohol consumption, whereas frequent intake of fresh fruit and seal meat were inversely associated with diabetic status. Age, BMI, family history of diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, and place of residence were significant predictors of IGT.Conclusions: The prevalence of diabetes is high among the Inuit of Greenland. Heredity was a major factor, while obesity and diet were important environmental factors. The high proportion of unknown cases suggests a need for increased diabetes awareness in Greenland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indigenous people of Greenland, the Inuit, have lived for a long time in the extreme conditions of the Arctic, including low annual temperatures, and with a specialized diet rich in protein and fatty acids, particularly omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). A scan of Inuit genomes for signatures of adaptation revealed signals at several loci, with the strongest signal located in a cluster of fatty acid desaturases that determine PUFA levels. The selected alleles are associated with multiple metabolic and anthropometric phenotypes and have large effect sizes for weight and height, with the effect on height replicated in Europeans. By analyzing membrane lipids, we found that the selected alleles modulate fatty acid composition, which may affect the regulation of growth hormones. Thus, the Inuit have genetic and physiological adaptations to a diet rich in PUFAs., (Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.)

Background: Iodine intake in Greenland has been hypothesized to exceed 10 times the recommended amount. The transition from a traditional Arctic society may change the iodine intake, but no field studies have been performed., Objective: We aimed to ascertain iodine intakes, factors affecting iodine intake in circumpolar populations, and the usefulness of urinary iodine excretion as a biomarker for validation of Inuit food-frequency questionnaires., Design: Data were collected in a cohort study of 4 Greenland population groups: Inuit living in the capital city, the major town, and settlements in East Greenland and non-Inuit. Supplement use and lifestyle factors were evaluated with questionnaires, and dietary habits were ascertained with a food-frequency questionnaire. Iodine was measured in spot urine samples., Results: One percent of the population of Greenland was invited, and the participation rate was 95%. Less than 5% of Inuit but 55% of non-Inuit had urinary iodine excretion < 50 microg/24 h. Median urinary iodine excretion declined with the degree of decrease in the traditional lifestyle: it was 198, 195, 147, and 58 microg/24 h among Inuit in settlements, town, and city and in non-Inuit, respectively (P < 0.001). Participants were divided into diet groups calculated from Inuit food frequency. Iodine excretion decreased with increasing intake of imported foods (P < 0.001). In regression models, type of diet and the subject's lifestyle, sex, weight, ethnicity, and intake of iodine-containing supplements affected urinary iodine excretion., Conclusions: Circumpolar non-Inuit are at risk of iodine deficiency. Departure from the traditional Inuit diet lowers iodine intake, which should be monitored in Arctic societies. Urinary iodine excretion may be a useful biomarker of traditional Inuit food frequency.