International Union for Circumpolar Health Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of RF Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Medical Polar Fund “Science” The Northern Forum

Abstracts

Environmental health

Background Northern Norway consists of a multiethnic population that has a long period of settlement, several thousands of years back, in the northern region. The population consists of Sámi and Norwegian. These two ethnic groups speak different languages and belong to different cultures. We wanted to evaluate iron status in these two groups in relation to sex, age and residence.

Material and methods In 2002-2004 a cross sectional study, the Sámi Health Study, was performed in several municipalities in northern Norway with mixed Sámi and Norwegian population. People lacking Sámi affiliation, Kvens included, were incorporated among the Norwegian participants. (Kvens totaled 4.8% of the study population). A total of 16 323 men and women between the ages of 36 – 79 years participated, and a questionnaire was delivered at attendance of the study. The main questionnaire had several questions on family background, language and self-perceived ethnicity. Response rate was 60 %. Non-fasting blood samples were obtained at admission and among other things s-ferritin and transferrin saturation were evaluated from all participants.

Results Both s-ferritin and transferrin saturation were higher in men than women for all age groups independent of ethnic belonging (p< 0.001). S-ferritin increased with increasing age in women, both among Sámi and Norwegian participants, while the opposite was true for men. Sámi men living in inland area had significantly higher mean s-ferritin than Norwegian living in the same area. But both Sámi and Norwegian men living in inland areas had significantly higher mean s-ferritin than men living at coastal areas (p < 0.0001). Also Sámi women living in inland areas had significantly higher s-ferritin levels than the other female groups (p < 0.007). For female participants the differences were most pronounced after the age of 50 years. Iron levels were not affected by ethnicity at the coastal area.

Conclusions Sámi living at inland areas had higher s-ferritin than the Norwegian participants living in the same area. Along the coast there was no difference in iron levels between the two ethnic groups. Traditional diet with mainly reindeer meat can be a possible explanation of high iron levels among the Sámi at inland. At coast, sea fish are the traditional food among both ethnic groups.

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

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Last update: 06-Jul-2012 (11:52:05)