Potential impact of restricted caribou (Rangifer tarandus) consumption on anemia prevalence among Inuit adults in northern Canada ...

• Main Authors: Kenny, Tiff-Annie, Hu, Xue F, Jamieson, Jennifer A, Kuhnlein, Harriet V, Wesche, Sonia D, Chan, Hing M
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: My University 2019
• Subjects: Canada; inuit; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-23467; https://ruor.uottawa.ca/handle/10393/39219

Abstract Background Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is the top dietary source of iron and several micronutrients necessary for red blood cell production (erythropoiesis) in the contemporary diet of Inuit adults across Canada. Many caribou populations across the circumpolar north, however, have experienced dramatic declines in recent decades. Restricted access to caribou may negatively impact the nutrition and health of Inuit communities. Methods We used data from the Inuit Health Survey, a cross-sectional survey of 2550 Inuit adults in thirty-six communities across northern Canada (conducted in 2007–2008) to examine the relationship between caribou consumption, hemoglobin (Hb), and blood biomarkers of nutrient intake and contaminant exposure. Multivariable linear regression was used to investigate the potential public health impact of a theoretical restriction in caribou consumption, by estimating the response of Hb concentrations (and the attendant change in anemia prevalence), to theoretical changes in caribou ...