Diet and physical activity in Greenland: genetic interactions and associations with obesity and diabetes

• Published in: Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
• Main Authors: Senftleber, Ninna Karsbæk, Overvad, Maria, Dahl-Petersen, Inger Katrine, Bjerregaard, Peter, Jørgensen, Marit Eika
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2021
• Subjects: Greenland; inuit
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2021-0020; https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/apnm-2021-0020; https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/apnm-2021-0020

The Inuit in Greenland have gone through dramatic lifestyle changes during the last half century. More time is spent being sedentary and imported foods replaces traditional foods like seal and whale. The population has also experienced a rapid growth in obesity and metabolic disturbances and diabetes is today common despite being almost unknown few decades ago. In this paper, we describe and discuss the role of lifestyle changes and genetics for Inuit metabolic health. Novelty: Cardiometabolic disease risk has increased in Greenland. Lifestyle changes and possibly gene-lifestyle interactions play a role.