Metabolic features of adiposity and glucose homoeostasis among school-aged inuit children from Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada).
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SUBMITTER: Medehouenou TCM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7801047 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BackgroundRespiratory infections are a major health problem in the Inuit population of Nunavik, province of Quebec, Canada.ObjectivesA study was undertaken to assess the burden of lower (LRTI) and upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and otitis media (OM) and to explore some of their determinants including the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) status.MethodsThe reference population includes children less than 5 years of age born in 1994-2010 and a sample of 825 children was selected for this study. Outpatient medical records were reviewed. Visits with a diagnosis of LRTI, URTI and OM were extracted. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to identify predictors of disease risk.ResultsThe average number of LRTI, URTI and OM episodes were, respectively, 2.6, 6.2 and 5.9 from birth up to the 5th birthday. Seasonal patterns were similar for URTI and OM, but was different for LRTI. Children who received the recommended 4 PCV doses had a lower LRTI and OM risk than unvaccinated children. There was a trend towards a lower OM risk associated with a mixed PCV10+ PCV13 schedule compared with PCV7.ConclusionResults suggest a lower LRTI and OM risk associated with PCV use in this high-risk population but respiratory disease risk remains high compared with the general population in Quebec.
| S-EPMC7480588 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo measure vitamin D status and estimate factors associated with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in Nunavimmiut (Inuit living in Nunavik) adults in 2017.DesignData were from Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey, a cross-sectional study conducted in August-October 2017. Participants underwent a questionnaire, including an FFQ, and blood samples were analysed for total serum 25(OH)D.SettingNunavik, northern Québec, Canada.ParticipantsA stratified proportional model was used to select respondents, including 1,155 who identified as Inuit and had complete data.ResultsGeometric mean serum vitamin D levels were 65·2 nmol/l (95 % CI 62·9-67·6 nmol/l) among women and 65·4 nmol/l (95 % CI 62·3-68·7 nmol/l) among men. The weighted prevalence of serum 25(OH)D < 75 nmol/l, <50 nmol/l <30 nmol/l was 61·2 %, 30·3 % and 7·0 %, respectively. Individuals who were older, female, lived in smaller and/or more southerly communities and/or consumed more country (traditional) foods were at a reduced risk of low vitamin D status. Higher consumption of wild fish was specifically associated with increased serum 25(OH)D concentration.ConclusionIt is important that national, regional and local policies and programs are in place to secure harvest, sharing and consumption of nutritious and culturally important country foods like Arctic char and other wild fish species, particularly considering ongoing climate change in the Arctic which impacts the availability, access and quality of fish as food.
| S-EPMC10966833 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Environmental changes are affecting the Arctic at an unprecedented rate, but limited scientific knowledge exists on their impacts on species such as walruses (Odobenus rosmarus). Inuit Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge (Inuit TEK/LEK) held by Inuit walrus harvesters could shed light on walrus ecology and related environmental changes. Our main objective was to study spatial and temporal changes in Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) distribution in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada) using Inuit TEK/LEK. To do so, we documented the knowledge and observations of 33 local hunters and Elders as part of a larger project on Atlantic walruses in Nunavik. We first gathered information on changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices through time and space, which was a crucial step to avoid potential biases in interpreting local observations on walrus distribution. We found that walrus hunters are now covering smaller hunting areas over shorter time periods, reducing in space and time their observations of Atlantic walruses around Nunavik. While clearly taking these limitations into account, we learned from interviews that some areas abandoned by Atlantic walruses in the past were now being re-occupied. Importantly, Atlantic walruses, which migrate following the melting ice, are now traveling along the eastern coast of Nunavik one month earlier, suggesting that Atlantic walrus migration has changed due to variations in sea-ice coverage around Nunavik. Our study not only highlighted important changes in Atlantic walrus distribution and migration in Nunavik, but also sheds light on the importance of documenting temporal and spatial changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices to understand the ecology of Arctic species using Inuit Knowledge.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6.
| S-EPMC8550009 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Otitis media (OM) and their sequelae are a major health issue in the Inuit population of Nunavik, Quebec. Hypotheses of the study were: (i) early onset OM leads to repeated OM; (ii) repeated OM episodes leads to middle ear abnormalities (MEA) at age 5 years, (iii) pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) may reduce multiple OM and MEA. Immunisation cards, medical records and audiology screening tests at age 5 years in a sample of 610 children born in 1994-2010 in 3 communities were reviewed. Children were classified into three categories using a score based on audiology screening tests: no abnormality, minor, or major MEA. The average number of OM episodes before age 5 years was 5.0 and 30% had minor and 17% major MEA at age 5 years. Community residency predicted both frequent (≥ 8) OM episodes and MEA. Early onset OM (age <6 months) was a predictor of frequent OM (RR = 1.71; 95%CI: 1.50-1.95) whereas PCV (≥1 dose ≥ age 2 months) has no significant effect. Frequent OM episodes were associated with major MEA (RR = 2.16; 95%CI: 1.20-3.85). Although associations were not statistically significant, there was a trend towards a protective effect of PCV administration on frequent OM and minor MEA, but not major MEA. In conclusion, results support an association between early onset OM, frequent OM and MEA that could represent a causal pathway.
| S-EPMC6442088 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The Canadian Inuit have a distinct population background that may entail particular implications for the health of its individuals. However, the number of genetic studies examining this Inuit population is limited, and much remains to be discovered in regard to its genetic characteristics. In this study, we generated whole-exome sequences and genomewide genotypes for 170 Nunavik Inuit, a small and isolated founder population of Canadian Arctic indigenous people. Our study revealed the genetic background of Nunavik Inuit to be distinct from any known present-day population. The majority of Nunavik Inuit show little evidence of gene flow from European or present-day Native American peoples, and Inuit living around Hudson Bay are genetically distinct from those around Ungava Bay. We also inferred that Nunavik Inuit have a small effective population size of 3,000 and likely split from Greenlandic Inuit ?10.5 kya. Nunavik Inuit went through a bottleneck at approximately the same time and might have admixed with a population related to the Paleo-Eskimos. Our study highlights population-specific genomic signatures in coding regions that show adaptations unique to Nunavik Inuit, particularly in pathways involving fatty acid metabolism and cellular adhesion (CPNE7, ICAM5, STAT2, and RAF1). Subsequent analyses in selection footprints and the risk of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) in Nunavik Inuit revealed an exonic variant under weak negative selection to be significantly associated with IA (rs77470587; P = 4.6 × 10-8).
| S-EPMC6689950 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Between November 2011 and November 2012, an Inuit village in Nunavik, Quebec experienced a surge in the occurrence of active TB; contact investigations showed that TB infection was highly prevalent (62.6%), particularly among those over age 14 years (78.8%). A nested case-control study showed that nutritional inadequacy was associated with acquisition of infection but not progression to disease. We performed a study to determine whether characteristics of one's dwelling were associated with 1) acquisition of newly diagnosed TB infection and 2) progression to confirmed or probable disease among those with TB infection.In this nested case-control study, we enrolled 200 people who were household or social contacts of at least 1 person with active TB or had received a diagnosis of active TB and assessed whether characteristics of their dwellings were associated with their odds of having newly diagnosed TB infection and/or odds of progression to disease between November 2011 and November 2012. For our first objective, we compared participants with newly diagnosed TB infection (regardless of their disease status) to a control group of contacts who were uninfected. For the second objective, we compared participants with confirmed or probable disease to a control group consisting of those with infection but no disease. We used information collected during investigation of the contacts and from study questionnaires to determine whether participants may have been exposed to TB in their own home (if they had shared a dwelling with someone who had smear-positive TB during the outbreak) or in other dwellings that they visited at least weekly.The participants lived in 79 dwellings. The mean number of people per room was 1.1 (standard deviation [SD] 0.5). The mean room size and ventilation level of the common living space (kitchen and living/dining rooms) were 67.9 (SD 9.4) m3 and 1.69 (SD 0.26) air changes per hour, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, the number of people per room was positively associated with the odds of newly diagnosed infection and odds of disease, but only among participants who lived with someone with smear-positive TB (the minority of participants). Other dwelling characteristics were not associated with either outcome.Reducing household crowding may contribute to TB prevention. Overall, our investigations have not identified associations that explain the elevated disease risk in this village. In light of our results and considering the high prevalence of TB infection, treatment of latent infection is an essential intervention for long-term reduction of TB incidence in this village.
| S-EPMC5047805 | biostudies-other
Project description:OBJECTIVE:We examined the relationships between socio-economic characteristics and mercury (Hg) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations among pregnant Inuit women from Nunavik. METHOD:We used biomonitoring data from 208 pregnant Inuit women recruited in the 14 villages of Nunavik between September 2011 and December 2013. Blood samples were collected to monitor levels of blood Hg and serum congener PCB-153 (surrogate of total PCB concentration). Ratio of omega 3/omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, a validated biomarker of marine country food consumption, was also measured in red blood cell membranes to determine maternal dietary profile. Data on socio-economic characteristics (income and education), health-related lifestyles, and reproductive history were collected through questionnaires. Association between socio-economic characteristics and contaminant concentrations was assessed using linear regressions. RESULTS:We observed a significant inverse relationship between education and Hg levels. Lower concentrations of Hg were observed among women who had completed high school compared to women who had not completed high school. However, no association was observed between level of education and concentration of PCBs. CONCLUSION:Socio-economic disparities in maternal exposure to Hg exist in Nunavik. Further research is needed to determine whether environmental health inequalities also exist in other subgroups of the Nunavik population and in other Indigenous communities in Canada.
| S-EPMC6964440 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundGlobally, food insecurity is a major public health concern. In North America, it is particularly prevalent in certain sub-groups, including Indigenous communities. Although many Indigenous and remote communities harvest and share food, most food security assessment tools focus on economic access. This study describes the psychometric evaluation of a modified Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), developed for mixed economies, to assess food insecurity among pregnant Inuit women.MethodsThe HFIAS was administered to 130 pregnant women in Nunavik (Arctic region of Quebec), Canada. Data were fit to a Rasch Rating Scale Model (RSM) to determine the discrimination ability of the HFIAS. Person parameter (Theta) estimates were calculated based on the RSM to provide a more accurate scoring system of the modified HFIAS for this population. Theta values were compared to known correlates of food insecurity.ResultsComparative fit indices showed preference for a modified version of the HFIAS over the original. Theta values displayed a continuum of severity estimates and those values indicating greater food insecurity were consistently linked to known correlates of food insecurity. Participants living in households with more than 1 hunter (Theta = -.45) or more than 1 fisher (Theta = -.43) experienced less food insecurity than those with no hunters (Theta = .48) or fishers (Theta = .49) in their household. The RSM indicated the scale showed good discriminatory ability. Subsequent analyses indicated that most scale items pertain to the classification of a household as moderately food insecure.ConclusionsThe modified HFIAS shows potential for measuring food insecurity among pregnant women in Nunavik. This is an efficient instrument that can inform interventions targeting health conditions impacting groups that obtain food through both monetary and non-monetary means.
| S-EPMC5470676 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Dwarf Labrador tea, Rhododendron subarcticum Harmaja, is a popular medicinal plant in use by First Nations of Northern Canada, but its phytochemistry has remained largely unexplored. We have isolated and characterized the essential oil from a population of this species harvested near the treeline in Nunavik, Québec. Analyses by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography/flame-ionization detection (GC/FID) led to the identification of 53 compounds; the main secondary metabolites were ascaridole (64.7% of the total FID area) and p-cymene (21.1%). Such a composition resembles a chemotype observed for R. tomentosum, a close relative found mainly in Europe and Asia, but has never been attributed to R. subarcticum. Growth inhibition assays against different strains of Plasmodium falciparum (3D7, Dd2), the parasite responsible for the most severe form of malaria, were conducted with either the R. subarcticum's essential oil or the isolated ascaridole. Our results show that the essential oil's biological activity can be attributed to ascaridole as its IC50 is more than twice that of ascaridole [ascaridole's IC50 values are 147.3 nM (3D7) and 104.9 nM (Dd2)].
| S-EPMC10193425 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background: Leisure time physical activity (LTPA) correlates have been mostly studied in relation to adolescents' home neighbourhoods, but not so much in relation to the environment of their schools' neighbourhoods. We sought to investigate how objective environmental measures of the schools' vicinity are related to adolescents' self-reported LTPA. Methods: Individual data from the Quebec High School Students Health Survey (QHSSHS) were matched with schools' socioeconomic indicators, as well as geographic information system-based indicators of their built environments. Self-reported levels of LTPA during the school year were assessed according to intensity, frequency and index of energy expenditure. Associations per gender between covariates and LTPA were estimated using ordinal multilevel regression with multiple imputations. Results: Boys (21% of which were highly active) were more active than girls (16% of which were highly active) (p ? 0.01). The incremental variance between schools explained by the contextual variables in the final models was higher among girls (7.8%) than boys (2.8%). The number of parks or green spaces within 750 m around their schools was positively associated with student LTPA in both genders. Conclusions: The promotion of parks around schools seems to be an avenue to be strengthened.
| S-EPMC5876957 | biostudies-literature