Prevalence and risk factors for self‐reported chronic disease amongst Inuvialuit populations

Abstract

Background: Chronic disease prevalence amongst Canadian Arctic populations is increasing, but the literature amongst Inuvialuit is limited. The present study aimed to provide baseline data that could be used to monitor changes in chronic disease risk factors and long‐term health in the Arctic by determining prevalence and risk factors of self‐reported chronic disease amongst adult Inuvialuit in remote communities. Methods: Self‐reported demographics and history of chronic disease (hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and cancer) were collected in three communities between July 2007 and July 2008 in the Northwest Territories. Food frequency questionnaires recorded dietary intake, International Physical Activity Questionnaires recorded physical activity and anthropometric measures of height and weight were obtained. Results: Response rates ranged from 65–85%. More than 20% of the 228 participants aged 19–84 years reported having a chronic disease. Age‐adjusted prevalence was 28, 9, 9 and 6 per 100 for hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and cancer, respectively. Compared with non‐cases, participants reporting hypertension were more likely to have a higher body mass index and a lower level of education. Hypertension was more common amongst participants reporting heart disease and diabetes than Inuvialuit not reporting these morbidities. Conclusions: Inuvialuit participants in this study were most affected by hypertension and diabetes compared with heart disease or any cancer. Female participants had a higher prevalence of heart disease compared with the Canadian average. Primary preventive strategies are necessary to mitigate the increasing rates of chronic disease risk factors in this population. Further studies with a larger sample size and measured chronic disease are necessary to confirm the findings obtained in the present study.

Dietary sodium intake deleteriously affects blood pressure in a normotensive population

“…Results obtained in this paper refute our previous hypothesis. Recent analyses, including ours, depicted a cardiovascular health portrait in Inuit increasingly similar to the rest of North American populations (Chateau-Degat et al, 2010;Erber et al, 2010). Especially in Nunavik, we recently showed that throughout 12 years (1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004), the prevalence of elevated BP nearly doubled in this population (Chateau-Degat et al, 2010).…”

“…However, no association between BP and modernization has been detected in that population (Thouez et al, 1989). As the situation is evolving (ChateauDegat et al, 2010;Erber et al, 2010), we were interested in evaluating the contribution of DSI to BP variations among normotensive Nunavik Inuit participants to a populationbased study.…”

Food patterns and socioeconomic indicators of food consumption amongst Inuvialuit in the Canadian Arctic

“…, 2009; Health Canada, 2009]. Currently, approximately one‐third of Inuvialuit in the NWT have at least one type of chronic disease and the life expectancy is nine years below the Canadian average (ITK, 2008; Erber et al. , 2010a).…”

Commentary on the ‘Healthy Foods North’ intervention programme

“…Well known reporting bias in relation to amounts of physical activity might have played a role there. This was repeated in the Inuvialuit where over 20% reported having some chronic cardiovascular condition or cancer (Erber et al. , 2010a).…”