Increasing overweight in Greenland: social, demographic, dietary and other life-style factors

Abstract

Objectives. In several Arctic countries, weight gain is very evident among the local populations and the percentages of overweight and obese persons are increasing rapidly. Since the development of overweight among the Arctic populations seems to coincide with the westernization of their diet and other life-style factors, it is tempting to hypothesize that the transition to carbohydrate-and fat-rich western food causes the weight gain. The high relative content of (n-3) fatty acids in traditional foods presumably provides some protection against cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and various other diseases of affluent industrialized societies. In the present study, we have investigated the recent weight gain in Greenland and have tried to relate it to social factors, present dietary habits and other life-styles.Study design. The cross-sectional study, which was part of the Arctic Monitoring and Assess Programme, included 410 men and women (18–49 years) from 5 districts in Greenland. It was based upon questionnaires including a dietary survey, anthropometric measurements and blood lipid analyses.Results. Obesity (Body Mass Index (BMI) > 30 kg/m2, corresponding to about 19% of the participants) increased with age, was most prevalent among higher household economic levels, and correlated with neither local, nor imported food intake.Conclusion. Overweight was not found to be correlated with either western, or traditional food composition. Obesity had adverse effects on several health indicators, serum triglyceride, HDL and the cardiovascular risk index, (Chol-HDL)/HDL and TG/HDL, counteracting the positive effects of (n-3) fatty acids and should be considered as a serious health risk for the Greenlandic population. (Int J Circumpolar Health 2005; 64(1):86–98)