Greenland Eskimos Research Articles

Skeletal muscle from TBC1D4 p.Arg684Ter variant carriers is severely insulin resistant but exhibits normal metabolic responses during exercise.

In the Greenlandic Inuit population, 4% are homozygous carriers of a genetic nonsense TBC1D4 p.Arg684Ter variant leading to loss of the muscle-specific isoform of TBC1D4 and an approximately tenfold increased risk of type 2 diabetes1. Here we show the metabolic consequences of this variant in four female and four male homozygous carriers and matched controls. An extended glucose tolerance test reveals prolonged hyperglycaemia followed by reactive hypoglycaemia in the carriers. Whole-body glucose disposal is impaired during euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp conditions and associates with severe insulin resistance in skeletal muscle only. Notably, a marked reduction in muscle glucose transporter GLUT4 and associated proteins is observed. While metabolic regulation during exercise remains normal, the insulin-sensitizing effect of a single exercise bout is compromised. Thus, loss of the muscle-specific isoform of TBC1D4 causes severe skeletal muscle insulin resistance without baseline hyperinsulinaemia. However, physical activity can ameliorate this condition. These observations offer avenues for personalized interventions and targeted preventive strategies.

Lung function measurements in the Greenlandic Inuit population: results from the Greenlandic health survey 2017–2019

ABSTRACT Background Little is known about lung function in Inuit. The aim of this study was to describe lung function and the prevalence of obstructive and restrictive lung disease among Inuit in Greenland Methods During the 2017–2019 Health Survey, spirometry, with forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC ratio in liters (L), and percent of predicted value (pred%) were recorded according to Global Lung function Initiative standard reference values (GLI). Smoking history was obtained. Obstructive spirometry was defined as FEV1/FVC <70%. Restrictive spirometry was proposed by FVC < 80% and FEV1/FVC >90%. Results Based on validated spirometries, 795/2084 persons were included in this cross-sectional, descriptive study. Of those, 54.6% were current- and 27.7% former smokers. In Inuit, normal lung function was higher than predicted GLI (FEV1 107.2 pred%/FVC 113.5 pred%). In total, 106 (13.3%) were found to have an obstructive lung function measurement and 11 (1.4%) had a restrictive pattern. Among current smokers, the prevalence of obstructive lung function was 16.4%. An accelerated decline in lung function was observed > 50 years old (y.o), compared to <50 y.o. Conclusion This study indicates that Inuit has higher absolute lung function values than standard GLI, despite the large proportion of smokers, which indicate a need for Inuit reference values in the daily clinical praxis. The high prevalence of obstructive lung function and rapid decline in lung function indicates the need for fucus on health issues that may affect lung health in Greenland.

Association between thermogenic brown fat and genes under positive natural selection in circumpolar populations

BackgroundAdaptation to cold was essential for human migration across Eurasia. Non-shivering thermogenesis through brown adipose tissue (BAT) participates in cold adaptation because some genes involved in the differentiation and function of BAT exhibit signatures of positive natural selection in populations at high latitudes. Whether these genes are associated with the inter-individual variability in BAT thermogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the potential associations between BAT activity and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate gene regions in East Asian populations.MethodsBAT activity induced by mild cold exposure was measured in 399 healthy Japanese men and women using fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography and computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT). The capacity for cold-induced thermogenesis and fat oxidation was measured in 56 men. Association analyses with physiological traits were performed for 11 SNPs at six loci (LEPR, ANGPTL8, PLA2G2A, PLIN1, TBX15-WARS2, and FADS1) reported to be under positive natural selection. Associations found in the FDG-PET/CT population were further validated in 84 healthy East Asian men and women, in whom BAT activity was measured using infrared thermography. Associations between the SNP genotypes and BAT activity or other related traits were tested using multiple logistic and linear regression models.ResultsOf the 11 putative adaptive alleles of the six genes, two intronic SNPs in LEPR (rs1022981 and rs12405556) tended to be associated with higher BAT activity. However, these did not survive multiple test comparisons. Associations with lower body fat percentage, plasma triglyceride, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels were observed in the FDG-PET/CT population (P < 0.05). Other loci, including TBX15-WARS2, which is speculated to mediate cold adaptation in Greenland Inuits, did not show significant differences in BAT thermogenesis.ConclusionsOur results suggest a marginal but significant association between LEPR SNPs. However, robust supporting evidence was not established for the involvement of other loci under positive natural selection in cold adaptation through BAT thermogenesis in East Asian adults. Given the pleiotropic function of these genes, factors other than cold adaptation through BAT thermogenesis, such as diet adaptation, may contribute to positive natural selection at these loci.

The southernmost people of Greenland – Dialects and memories

During the mid-20th century, old South Greenlanders still spoke their genuine dialects when Mâliâraq Vebæk, herself a South Greenlander, born 1917, collected on tape stories and descriptions of pre-modern daily life from 23 informants. In this volume, the texts appear in dialectal transcription and translated into English, as well as in sound on the inserted CD-Rom, containing the tape recordings. Among the South Greenlandic dialects, the southernmost from the Cape Farewell region is now extinct and attracts particular interest, because this area received emigrants from the gradually depopulated southeast coast during the 19th century. The so-called qavak-dialect of the Cape Farewell region thus became an interesting mixture of the southeast and southwest Greenlandic dialects. This publication is targetted at linguists and is the first and only presentation of the South Greenlandic dialects. A phonological introduction is offered for the benefit of the linguists, but any reader of English (or the dialects) interested in stories, Greenland etc. can fully enjoy the texts.

Trends in cardiovascular disease among Inuit in Greenland from 1994 to 2021

Background and aimsCardiovascular disease (CVD) poses significant health challenges globally. While substantial data exists for most populations, the Arctic Inuit's CVD incidence rates remain understudied. This research aimed to change this by estimating CVD incidence and mortality rates in Greenland from 1994 to 2021. MethodsUsing nationwide registers, a retrospective observational study was conducted, focusing on individuals born in Greenland to Greenlandic-born parents. Data were sourced from the Greenlandic Hospital Discharge Register and the nationwide electronic medical record. ResultsA total of 65,824 individuals were included. the age- and sex-specific incidence rates (IR) of ischemic heart disease, stroke, and heart failure (HF) declined from 1994 to 2021, with the most substantial decline observed for HF among women. Conversely, the IR of atrial fibrillation/flutter increased in both men and women, while the IR of myocardial infarction rose among men. The IR for stroke was particularly elevated compared to other CVD subgroups. Mortality rates for those diagnosed with CVD were 2.4 times higher than those without. Men exhibited a 40 % elevated mortality risk relative to women. ConclusionThe study provides pivotal insights into CVD trends within the Arctic Inuit population, highlighting both positive developments and areas of concern. Given the increasing elderly demographic in Greenland, proactive health strategies are crucial. Emphasizing primary prevention and addressing specific CVD risks, particularly the elevated stroke IR, is imperative for future public health efforts.

Reproducibility and validity of a 45 item food-frequency questionnaire for inuit in Greenland

ABSTRACT Since 1993, dietary assessment has been carried out in Greenland as part of recurrent population health surveys. In preparation for the next survey in 2024, 91 participants from the survey in 2018 were selected for a validation study of the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The 91 participants were reinterviewed 38–50 months after the first FFQ and invited to complete a food diary. As part of the 2018 survey, blood was analysed for mercury. The food diary was completed by 65 participants. The agreement between the two FFQ interviews was very good for macronutrients and fatty acids (p > 0.20), whereas the calculated intake of mercury was 22% higher in the second FFQ (p = 0.04) due to a higher intake of whale meat and muktuk (whale skin). The agreement between the second FFQ and the food diary was good for local food, imported meat and cakes/sweets/snacks but fruit and vegetables, dairy products, beverages and added sugar were significantly underreported in the food diary. Food items not included in the FFQ were identified from the food diaries. The correlation between the intake of marine mammals and blood mercury was moderate (Spearman’s rho = 0.41–0.50; p < 0.0001). The results will inspire future dietary studies in the circumpolar North.

Genetic history of the Koryaks and Evens of the Magadan region based on Y chromosome polymorphism data.

In order to clarify the history of gene pool formation of the indigenous populations of the Northern Priokhotye (the northern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk), Y-chromosome polymorphisms were studied in the Koryaks and Evens living in the Magadan region. The results of the study showed that the male gene pool of the Koryaks is represented by haplogroups C-B90-B91, N-B202, and Q-B143, which are also widespread in other peoples of Northeastern Siberia, mainly of Paleo-Asiatic origin. High frequency of haplogroup C-B80, typical of other Tungus-Manchurian peoples, is characteristic of the Evens of the Magadan region. The shared components of the gene pools of the Koryaks and Evens are haplogroups R-M17 and I-P37.2 inherited as a result of admixture with Eastern Europeans (mainly Russians). The high frequency of such Y chromosome haplogroups in the Koryaks (16.7 %) and Evens (37.8 %) is indicative of close interethnic contacts during the last centuries, and most probably especially during the Soviet period. The genetic contribution of the European males' Y chromosome significantly prevails over that of maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA. The study of the Y chromosome haplogroup diversity has shown that only relatively young phylogenetic branches have been preserved in the Koryak gene pool. The age of the oldest component of the Koryak gene pool (haplogroup C-B90-B91) is estimated to be about 3.8 thousand years, the age of the younger haplogroups Q-B143 and N-B202 is about 2.8 and 2.4 thousand years, respectively. Haplogroups C-B90-B91 and N-B202 are Siberian in origin, and haplogroup Q-B143 was apparently inherited by the ancestors of the Koryaks and other Paleo-Asiatic peoples from the Paleo-Eskimos as a result of their migrations to Northeast Asia from the Americas. The analysis of microsatellite loci for haplogroup Q-B143 in the Eskimos of Greenland, Canada and Alaska as well as in the indigenous peoples of Northeastern Siberia showed a decrease in genetic diversity from east to west, pointing to the direction of distribution of the Paleo-Eskimo genetic component in the circumpolar region of America and Asia. At the same time, the Evens appeared in the Northern Priokhotye much later (in the XVII century) as a result of the expansion of the Tungusic tribes, which is confirmed by the results of the analysis of haplogroup C-B80 polymorphisms.

Attitudes towards people with disabilities in Greenland and the need for empowered changes

ABSTRACT In order to understanding public attitudes towards people with disabilities in Greenland and analyse how to facilitate further empowerment, a national survey was produced in 2020. The results from the survey showed a clear difference in attitudes towards people with either physical or mental disabilities. The survey ‘Holdninger til Handicap’ (attitudes towards disabilities), which was carried out by Tilioq (the spokesperson institution for people with disabilities) and Ilisimatusarfik Centre for Arctic Welfare, included almost 1,000 responses. Respondents had a more positive view of people with physical disabilities than those with mental disabilities. Furthermore, the survey highlights a prejudice among respondents in relation to dating or having intimate relationships with a person with a disability or mental disability. Despite the respondents’ divided view of having an intimate relationship with people with disabilities, there was more openness to accepting people with a physical disability in a position of power (e.g. politicians or managers). However, the respondents were not willing to accept people with mental disabilities in positions of power. The study in Greenland is the first to explore barriers and attitudes towards people with disabilities in non-intimate and intimate social relationships and power relationships. The study provided knowledge to support decision-makers and NGOs in informing society in general about physical and mental disabilities and the rights of disabled people in Greenland in relation to empowerment and further inclusion.

The Association between Long-Term DDT or DDE Exposures and an Altered Sperm Epigenome-a Cross-Sectional Study of Greenlandic Inuit and South African VhaVenda Men.

The organochlorine dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is banned worldwide owing to its negative health effects. It is exceptionally used as an insecticide for malaria control. Exposure occurs in regions where DDT is applied, as well as in the Arctic, where its endocrine disrupting metabolite, -dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (-DDE) accumulates in marine mammals and fish. DDT and -DDE exposures are linked to birth defects, infertility, cancer, and neurodevelopmental delays. Of particular concern is the potential of DDT use to impact the health of generations to come via the heritable sperm epigenome. The objective of this study was to assess the sperm epigenome in relation to -DDE serum levels between geographically diverse populations. In the Limpopo Province of South Africa, we recruited 247 VhaVenda South African men and selected 50 paired blood serum and semen samples, and 47 Greenlandic Inuit blood and semen paired samples were selected from a total of 193 samples from the biobank of the INUENDO cohort, an EU Fifth Framework Programme Research and Development project. Sample selection was based on obtaining a range of -DDE serum levels (). We assessed the sperm epigenome in relation to serum -DDE levels using MethylC-Capture-sequencing (MCC-seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq). We identified genomic regions with altered DNA methylation (DNAme) and differential enrichment of histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) in sperm. Differences in DNAme and H3K4me3 enrichment were identified at transposable elements and regulatory regions involved in fertility, disease, development, and neurofunction. A subset of regions with sperm DNAme and H3K4me3 that differed between exposure groups was predicted to persist in the preimplantation embryo and to be associated with embryonic gene expression. These findings suggest that DDT and -DDE exposure impacts the sperm epigenome in a dose-response-like manner and may negatively impact the health of future generations through epigenetic mechanisms. Confounding factors, such as other environmental exposures, genetic diversity, and selection bias, cannot be ruled out. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12013.

Ethnic endotypes in paediatric atopic dermatitis depend on immunotype, lipid composition and microbiota of the skin.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) endotypes differ with ethnicity. We examined the skin microbiota, cytokine and lipid profiles in Greenlandic Inuit and Danish children with AD. Twenty-five Inuit children with AD and 25 Inuit control children were clinically examined and compared to previously collected data from 25 Danish children with AD. Skin tape strips and skin swabs were collected from lesional and non-lesional skin. Levels of cutaneous immune biomarkers, free sphingoid bases and their (glycosyl)ceramides were analysed. Skin swabs were analysed with 16S rRNA and tuf gene for characterization of bacterial species communities. Bacterial β-diversity was significantly different between Inuit and Danish AD skin, in both lesional (p < 0.001) and non-lesional (p < 0.001) AD skin, and there was a higher relative abundance of Staphylococcus aureus in Danish compared to Inuit lesional (53% vs. 8%, p < 0.01) and non-lesional skin (55% vs. 5%, p < 0.001). Danish AD children had a higher α-diversity than Inuit children in non-lesional (p < 0.05) but not in lesional skin. Significantly higher levels of type 2 immunity cytokine interleukin (IL)-4 (p < 0.05) and IL-5 (p < 0.01) were identified in Inuit compared to Danish AD children. In contrast, IL-33 (p < 0.01) was higher in Danish lesional and non-lesional AD skin. Higher levels of long-chain glucosylceramide (GlcCER)[S](d26:1) were found in lesional (p < 0.001) and non-lesional (p < 0.001) Inuit skin compared with Danish AD skin. NMF levels were similar in Inuit and Danish AD skin. Skin microbiota, cytokine and lipid composition differed significantly between Inuit and Danish children with AD and showed a stronger type 2 immune signature in Inuit children.

Being (in)formed by indigenous voices: First steps to using graphic narratives to decolonise speculative fiction

The Greenlandic visual artist Nuka K. Godtfredsen and his literary and scientific collaborators have produced a series of four graphic narratives to represent distinct moments in Greenland's history, spanning the pre-colonised and colonial period. These narratives employ aspects of magic realism and adopt an approach to narrative that focuses on the supernatural and presents modes of being that contrast with their audiences' understanding of realities that are ordinarily (only) visible. I argue that these graphic narratives use strategies from speculative fiction that frame the modern European presence in Greenland and the narrative of colonialism as one of several multiple realities in the Arctic, rather than its central axis, leaving open the possibility for indigenous Greenlanders to speak on their own terms. This enables these graphic narratives to illuminate aspects of knowledge (including features of oral legend and supernatural encounters) that were previously discredited in colonial discourse. Furthermore, I show that attending to how embodied aspects of Greenlandic Inuit storytelling traditions can be captured in the graphic narrative medium may be an effective decolonial strategy, which could be employed by speculative fiction. I thus advocate methodologies for speculative fiction that strategically broaden its boundaries in order to address its intractable colonial legacy. Informed by approaches that focus attention on form - such as Marks's haptic visuality (2000) and visual theories of the power of hand-drawn comics (Groensteen 2010, Chute 2008) to engage the reader/viewer in both an embodied and reflective way - I assert that including graphic narratives which employ strategies of speculative fiction may present a unique opportunity for the genre to mount a powerful challenge to a colonial knowledge production.

Measuring novice-expert sense of place for a far-away place: Implications for geoscience instruction.

Individuals usually develop a sense of place through lived experiences or travel. Here we introduce new and innovative tools to measure sense of place for remote, far-away locations, such as Greenland. We apply this methodology within place-based education to study whether we can distinguish a sense of place between those who have visited Greenland or are otherwise strongly connected to the place from those who never visited. Place-based education research indicates that an increased sense of place has a positive effect on learning outcomes. Thus, we hypothesize that vicarious experiences with a place result in a measurably stronger sense of place when compared to the sense of place of those who have not experienced the place directly. We studied two distinct groups; the first are people with a strong Greenland connection (experts, n = 93). The second are students who have never been there (novices, n = 142). Using i) emotional value attribution of words, ii) thematic analysis of phrases and iii) categorization of words, we show significant differences between novice's and expert's use of words and phrases to describe Greenland as a proxy of sense of place. Emotional value of words revealed statistically significant differences between experts and novices such as word power (dominance), feeling pleasantness (valence), and degree of arousal evoked by the word. While both groups have an overall positive impression of Greenland, 31% of novices express a neutral view with little to no awareness of Greenland (experts 4% neutral). We found differences between experts and novices along dimensions such as natural features; cultural attributes; people of Greenland; concerns, importance, or interest in and feeling connected to Greenland. Experts exhibit more complex place attributes, frequently using emotional words, while novices present a superficial picture of Greenland. Engaging with virtual environments may shift novice learners to a more expert-like sense of place, for a far-away places like Greenland, thus, we suggest virtual field trips can supplement geoscience teaching of concepts in far-away places like Greenland and beyond.

Diet, lifestyle and contaminants in three east Greenland Inuit municipalities

Persistent organic pollutants (POP) are environmental contaminants transported over long distances to the Arctic where they biomagnify in marine mammals subsistence hunted by Inuit and may therefore affect human health. Marine mammals in east Greenland are known to have the highest POP concentrations in the circumpolar Arctic area. Due to high intake of marine mammals, east Greenlandic Inuit likewise have the highest POP body burdens across the Arctic. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the levels of POP and metals in Inuit with a high intake of top predatory species including killer whales and polar bears. Study participants include 37 men and 21 women from Kulusuk, Tasiilaq and Ittoqqortoormiit during year 2013–2015. Lipophilic POP (11 organochlorine-pesticides, 14 polychlorinated-biphenyls (PCB), 10 polybrominated diphenyl ethers), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PFUA) and cotinine were determined in plasma. Fifteen perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) were measured in serum and urine and the renal clearance was estimated. Finally the concentration of 10 metals were measured in whole blood. The median age was 38 years, Ittoqqortoormiit Inuit being the oldest. The smoking rate was around 70%, and Kulusuk participants had the lowest PFUA concentrations. Significant municipality differences were observed for lipophilic POP, serum PFAS, mercury, arsenic and selenium with highest concentrations in Ittoqqortoormiit Inuit. Males had higher blood concentrations of PFAS and lead. The estimated PFAS renal clearance and ratio of urine to serum were significantly higher for females, suggesting a sex difference in excretion via the kidney, maybe partly because men had higher serum PFAS concentrations. We observed that Inuit with intake of >200 g polar bear per week had significantly higher levels of PCB, PFAS, arsenic and selenium. In summary, the level of blood POP and heavy metals seems to relate to sex and the frequency intake of meat from marine mammals.

Employment in a post-colonial society – The case of Greenland

In the fields of labour market research and industrial relations research, there is increasing interest in post-colonial societies and the labour market outcomes of indigenous peoples. However, existing research has generally underexplored the Greenlandic labour market. This is particularly true for factors associated with the Greenlandic Inuit population's employment outcomes. In this article, we investigate barriers and potentials for labour market participation in Greenland, focusing on individual-level factors that promote or inhibit the likelihood of being employed. We use a unique, nationally representative survey of the working-age population and explore these factors through a series of logistic regression analyses. We find that educational attainment, positive self-assessed health, and the number of people in the household were positively related to employment. Our most important findings and contributions are that respondents who answered the survey in Greenlandic were less likely to be employed compared to those who answered it in Danish. Furthermore, if a respondent was born in Greenland, compared to being born in Denmark, it lowers the likelihood of being employed. We interpret this disparity as evidence of an ethnically segregated labour market with indications of discrimination.

Нарушения усвоения сахарозы подтверждают своеобразие генетической истории эскимосов

Introduction. A dinucleotide deletion of AG at the rs781470490 locus of the SI gene (SI delAG variant) causes dysfunction of the sucrase-isomaltase enzyme and the inability to digest sugar. The deletion frequency in the world is 0.0021%, while among the Inuit (Eskimo) it reaches 17–20%. Research hypothesis: the SI delAG variant is common in all the populations of indigenous northerners. The study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of the SI delAG variant in the Cis-Ural, Siberian, and Far East populations of the Russian Federation and compare it to that of the Inuit people. Materials and methods. DNA genotyping and the SI delAG variant frequency analysis were carried out in the samples from study groups of Russians, Komi, Mansi, Khanty, Nenets, Shors, Evenks, Evens, Koryaks, Chukchi (n =613). Corresponding data for the Canadian and Greenlandic Inuit (n =391) were used for comparison. Results and discussion. The deletion in samples from the Chukchi, Koryak, and Even study groups occurred in 14, 7, and 4%, respectively; there was no the deletion found in the samples of the other Siberian and Cis-Ural groups. The carriage of the SI delAG variant decreases with the distance from the area of the Greenlandic Inuit. The Inuit, Chukchi, and Koryak groups form a distinct cluster. The Paleo-Eskimo do not carry the deletion. Minimal amounts of sugar-containing products appeared in the diet of the Greenlandic and Canadian Inuit at the end of the 19th century, 200 years later than in the diet of aboriginal northerners of Eurasia. Conclusions. There was no SI delAG variant found in the samples of the indigenous people of West Eurasia high latitude regions. The deletion emerged in Neo-Eskimo population 1.2–2 thousand years ago and has been retained in the small numbered isolate due to their way of existence and diet. In the populations of the northwest coast of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Chukchi Peninsula, the SI delAG variant was brought by the gene flow from the Inuit people. @ 2023. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

The results of pancreatic surgery in Inuit patients from Greenland 1999-2022

ABSTRACT The study evaluates the outcome after surgery for pancreatic and periampullary tumors in Greenlandic Inuit with overall survival (OS) of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) as secondary outcome. Results were compared with Danish patients with an identical tumor stage and age operated at the same hospital during the same period from 31. January 1999 to 31. January 2021. Follow up was minimum one year. Preoperative health data shoved a higher rate of smoking among Greenlandic patients, but a lower preoperative comorbidity than in Danish patients. Patients from Greenland had a lower resection rate and a higher rate of palliative operations. Postoperative complications and in-hospital mortality were not significantly different. Adjuvant oncologic treatment was well accepted by Greenlandic patients but less common in a palliative setting than in Danish patients. The one, two, and five-year survival in Greenlandic and Danish patients after radical operation for PDAC was 54.4% vs. 74.6%, 23.4% vs. 48.6%, and 0.0% vs. 23.4%, respectively. The overall survival with non-resectable PDAC was 5.9 and 8.8 months, respectively. It is concluded that although patients from Greenland have the same access to specialized treatment, the outcome after treatment for pancreatic and periampullary cancer is less favorable than in Danish patients.

The effect of traditional diet on glucose homoeostasis in carriers and non-carriers of a common TBC1D4 variant in Greenlandic Inuit: a randomised crossover study.

Consumption of traditional foods is decreasing amid a lifestyle transition in Greenland as incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) increases. In homozygous carriers of a TBC1D4 variant, conferring postprandial insulin resistance, the risk of T2D is markedly higher. We investigated the effects of traditional marine diets on glucose homoeostasis and cardio-metabolic health in Greenlandic Inuit carriers and non-carriers of the variant ina randomised crossover study consisting of two 4-week dietary interventions: Traditional (marine-based, low-carbohydrate) and Western (high in imported meats and carbohydrates). Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT, 2-h), 14-d continuous glucose and cardio-metabolic markers were assessed to investigate the effect of diet and genotype. Compared with the Western diet, the Traditional diet reduced mean and maximum daily blood glucose by 0·17 mmol/l (95 % CI 0·05, 0·29; P = 0·006) and 0·26 mmol/l (95 % CI 0·06, 0·46; P = 0·010), respectively, with dose-dependency. Furthermore, it gave rise to a weight loss of 0·5 kg (95 % CI; 0·09, 0·90; P = 0·016) relative to the Western diet and 4 % (95 % CI 1, 9; P = 0·018) lower LDL:HDL-cholesterol, which after adjustment for weight loss appeared to be driven by HDL elevation (0·09 mmol/l (0·03, 0·15), P = 0·006). A diet-gene interaction was indicated on insulin sensitivity in the OGTT (p = 0·093), which reflected a non-significant increase of 1·4 (-0·6, 3·5) mmol/l in carrier 2-h glucose. A Traditional diet marginally improved daily glycaemic control and plasma lipid profile compared with a Westernised diet in Greenlandic Inuit. Possible adverse effects on glucose tolerance in carriers of the TBC1D4 variant warrant further studies.

Jens Haven (1724–1796) and Captain James Cook (1728–1779) in Newfoundland

ABSTRACT Jens Haven, a former missionary to Green-land, established contact with Inuit from Labrador in 1764. Governor Palliser of Newfoundland saw in Haven’s missionary efforts an opportunity to improve the hitherto hostile relations between the English and Inuit. On his exploration journey, Haven met Captain James Cook near Quirpon on Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula and stayed on his ship. Governor Palliser’s recommendation of Jens Haven to English naval officers in Newfoundland and Labrador provides the context for Haven’s dealings with Captain James Cook. Haven sought to demonstrate throughout the journey his British loyalty. He also found confirmation for an ethnic kinship between Inuit in Labrador and Greenland. The missionary’s relations with Captain Cook are explored here fully by considering all extant archival materials available for the trip, including the German records that he kept from British authorities as well as a later reflection about the trip in 1784.

The association between suicidal behaviour and violence, sexual abuse, and parental substance abuse among Sami and Greenlandic adolescents: the WBYG study and the NAAHS.

For young Indigenous people, suicide is one of the leading causes of death, and high rates in Arctic areas indicate serious health and societal concerns. More knowledge is needed, as suicidal behaviour predicts later death by suicide. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts and negative life events, including violence, sexual abuse, and parental substance abuse, in Sami and Greenlandic adolescents, within and between groups and gender. Working samples included 442 Sami and 399 Greenlandic Inuit (15-16-year-olds), in The Norwegian Arctic Adolescent Health Study (NAAHS) and the Well-Being among Youth in Greenland (WBYG) study. Multivariable logistic regression explored associations between suicidal behaviour and violence, sexual abuse, and parental substance abuse. Across Indigenous groups, suicidal thoughts and attempts were significantly associated with violence and sexual abuse. The association between suicidal behaviour; especially suicidal thoughts, and sexual abuse was significant and strong among Sami females. Sami and Inuit adolescents with a history of childhood violence reported significantly more suicide attempts; the strongest association was found among Sami males. To Sami and Greenlandic Inuit, the experiences of negative life events, such as violence or sexual abuse are significant risk factors for suicidal behaviour. Public health programmes and prevention strategies targeting youth mental health and suicide should be culturally sensitive and sensitive to gender differences in the association between negative life events and suicidal behaviour.

Time trends and geographical patterns in suicide among Greenland Inuit

BackgroundBetween 1980 and 2018 Greenland has had one of the highest suicide rates in the world with an average rate of 96 suicides per 100,000 people annually. The aim of this study is to investigate suicide rates in Greenland according to age, birth cohort, period, sex, place of residence and suicide method from 1970 until 2018.MethodsSuicide rates were examined using register and census data from 1970–2018 among Greenland Inuit. Rates were calculated by Poisson regression in Stata and by use of Excel. In analyses of the period trends, rates were standardized according to the World Standard Population 2000–2025.ResultsThe suicide rate has been declining since a peak at 120 suicides per 100,000 people annually in the 1980s but remained high at a rate of 81.3 suicides per 100,000 people annually from 2015–2018. Descriptive analyses point to the decrease in male suicides as the primary factor for the overall decreasing rates while the rate among women has been increasing. Simultaneously, the proportion of women who used a violent suicide method increased from 60% in 1970–1979 to 90% in 2010–2018. The highest rates are seen among young people, especially young men aged 20–24 years and youth suicide rates increased with later birth cohorts. When the rates started to increase in the 1980s both the capital Nuuk and East Greenland had the highest rates. Since then, the rate in Nuuk has declined while the rate in East Greenland was three times the national rate from 2015–2018.ConclusionsFrom 1970 to 1989 the suicide rate increased from 28.7 to 120.5 per 100,000 people mirroring a rapid societal transition in the post-colonial period. The rate has slowly declined from the peak in the 1980s but remains at a very high level. Young people in general are at risk, but the steady increase in the rate among women is worrying and there is a need to investigate underlying causes for this development.