Association between exposure to persistent organic pollutants and mercury, and glucose metabolism in two Canadian Indigenous populations

• Published in: Environmental Research
• Main Authors: Cordier, S., Anassour-Laouan-Sidi, E., Lemire, M., Costet, N., Lucas, M., Ayotte, P.
• Other Authors: Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset), Université d'Angers (UA)-Université de Rennes (UR)-École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique EHESP (EHESP)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Structure Fédérative de Recherche en Biologie et Santé de Rennes ( Biosit : Biologie - Santé - Innovation Technologique ), Université Laval Québec (ULaval), Northern Contaminants Program (Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development Canada), Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, Quebec's Ministry of Health and Social Services, ArcticNet Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada, Cree people of northern Quebec, Cree First Nations, Niskamoon Corporation
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2020
• Subjects: Mercury; Diabetes; Glucose; Insulin; First nations; Inuit; Persistent organic pollutants; [SDV.EE.SANT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology; environment/Health; [SDV.TOX]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Toxicology; [SDV.SPEE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie; Nunavik; Canada; First Nations; inuit
• Online Access: https://univ-rennes.hal.science/hal-02565463; https://univ-rennes.hal.science/hal-02565463/document; https://univ-rennes.hal.science/hal-02565463/file/Cordier%20et%20al-2020-Association%20between%20exposure%20to%20persistent%20organic%20pollutants%20and%20mercury,%20and.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109345

International audience Background: The body burden of metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is particularly high in populations that rely on fish and other marine species for sustenance. This exposure has been associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, but results remain contrasted.Objective: We studied this association in two Indigenous populations of northern Québec (Canada) with markedly different prevalences of diabetes and levels of exposure to POPs and mercury.Methods: As part of health surveys conducted in 2004-2009, diabetes prevalence and glucose metabolism (glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-B) in non-diabetic fasting adults were assessed using similar protocols in two populations: Inuit from Nunavik (n = 877) and Cree from Eeyou Istchee territory (n = 780). Blood mercury, plasma polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine (OC) pesticides/metabolites and polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) levels were measured in samples collected at the time of examination. Logistic and linear regressions and restricted cubic splines analyses were conducted adjusting for sex, age, waist circumference, smoking and omega-3 fatty acid content in plasma phospholipids.Results: Diabetes prevalence was higher in Cree (20%) than in Inuit (7%), whereas environmental exposure was 2 to 3-fold greater in Inuit than in Cree participants. In the range of exposure common to the two populations, we observed similar linear increases in the risk of diabetes with increasing contaminant exposure. Among Cree participants, fasting glucose was positively associated with plasma PBDE level, and HOMA-B negatively associated with concentrations of ∑PCBs, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, PBDEs and ∑OC pesticides. Among Inuit participants, a trend towards reduced insulin secretion was observed in association with most contaminants, but the relation was nonlinear (greater reduction at intermediate levels of exposure). A significant increase in fasting glucose levels was observed at elevated blood mercury levels (>16 ...