PLASMA-LIPIDS IN 2 INDIGENOUS ARCTIC POPULATIONS WITH LOW-RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASES

The distribution of plasma lipids and their sociodemographic and metab olic correlates were investigated in two Arctic indigenous populations based on two health surveys conducted during 1990-1991 among adults i n eight Inuit communities in the Keewatin region of the Northwest Terr itories, Canada (n = 387), and in four communities in the Chukotka reg ion in the Russian Far North (n = 362). For comparison, data from the Canadian Heart Health Survey were used. The age-sex-specific mean tota l and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels among Inuit in northern Canada either do not differ significantly from the Canadian n ational population, or, in the case of younger Inuit women, are higher than in Canadians. This represents a temporal change from the results of earlier studies. Chukotka Natives tend to have the lowest total ch olesterol (TC) and LDL values of the three populations. The two indige nous populations still enjoy considerably lower levels of triglyceride s (TG) and higher levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol than observed in Canada, with the exception of younger Inuit women wh ose mean TG levels are not significantly different from those of Canad ians. The proportion of individuals at risk for ischemic heart disease because of high TG (greater-than-or-equal-to 2.3 mmol/L) is 20% among Canadian men but only 2% and 0% among the Arctic Natives, and 11% amo ng Canadian women compared to 6% and 3% in the Keewatin and Chukotka r egions, respectively. Such sociodemographic factors as education and m arital status do not have a substantial and consistent effect on plasm a lipid levels. Women with higher education have lower HDL (in Keewati n) and higher TG (in Chukotka), significant only at the 0.10 level. Am ong Chukotka men those who reported a lineage without nonindigenous ad mixture have a higher HDL level (P = 0.048). No difference between the admixed and nonadmixed can be found in the Keewatin. Smoking status h as no significant effect on any of the lipid fractions in either popul ation. The two Arctic populations demonstrate an association of some p lasma lipids with blood pressure and indices of obesity and central fa t patterning commonly observed in other populations. However, plasma g lucose does not increase in tandem with increasing levels of lipids, c ontrary to that observed in the general Canadian population. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.