Vitamin D deficiency and disease risk among aboriginal Arctic populations

Aboriginal populations living above the Arctic Circle are at particularly high risk of vitamin D deficiency due to limited ultraviolet B exposure (related to geographic latitude) and inadequate dietary intake (recently related to decreased traditional food consumption). Major changes in diet and lif...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nutrition reviews 2011-08, Vol.69 (8), p.468-478
Main Authors: Sharma, Sangita, Barr, Alison B, Macdonald, Helen M, Sheehy, Tony, Novotny, Rachel, Corriveau, Andre
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aboriginal populations
American Native Continental Ancestry Group
Arctic
Arctic Regions - epidemiology
Biological and medical sciences
Bone Diseases - etiology
chronic disease
Diabetes Mellitus - etiology
Diet
Energy Intake
Ethnic Groups
Feeding. Feeding behavior
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Marine
Medical sciences
Metabolic diseases
Neoplasms - etiology
Nutrition
Other nutritional diseases (malnutrition, nutritional and vitamin deficiencies...)
Population
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Sunlight
Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
Vitamin D
Vitamin D - administration & dosage
Vitamin D Deficiency - complications
Vitamin D Deficiency - epidemiology
Vitamins - administration & dosage
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Summary:Aboriginal populations living above the Arctic Circle are at particularly high risk of vitamin D deficiency due to limited ultraviolet B exposure (related to geographic latitude) and inadequate dietary intake (recently related to decreased traditional food consumption). Major changes in diet and lifestyle over the past 50 years in these populations have coincided with increased prevalence rates of rickets, cancer, diabetes, and obesity, each of which may be associated with vitamin D inadequacy. This review examines the risk factors for vitamin D inadequacy, the associations between vitamin D and disease risk at high geographic latitudes, and the recommendations for improving vitamin D status particularly among aboriginal Arctic populations. Traditional foods, such as fatty fish and marine mammals, are rich sources of vitamin D and should continue to be promoted to improve dietary vitamin D intake. Supplementation protocols may also be necessary to ensure adequate vitamin D status in the Arctic.
ISSN:0029-6643
1753-4887
DOI:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00406.x