TY - JOUR
T1 - Higher blood pressure among Inuit migrants in Denmark than among the Inuit in Greenland
AU - Bjerregaard, P.
AU - Jørgensen, Tarben
AU - Lumholt, P.
AU - Mosgaard, L.
AU - Borch-Johnsen, K.
AU - Backer, Vibeke
AU - Becker, Ulrik
AU - Bjerregaard, Peter
AU - Jørgensen, M. E.
AU - Mulvad, Gert
PY - 2002/4/9
Y1 - 2002/4/9
N2 - Study objective: Previous studies of blood pressure among the Inuit have given inconsistent results and studies comparing Inuit migrants with those living in traditional Inuit areas are absent. The purpose of the study was to compare the blood pressure of the Inuit in Greenland with that of Inuit migrants in Denmark. Design: Questionnaire, interview, and clinical examination in a cross sectional random population sample. Setting: A population based survey among Inuit in Greenland and Inuit migrants in Denmark. Participants: 2046 Inuit aged ≥ 18, 61% of the sample. Main results: Age and gender adjusted blood pressures were 117/72 mm Hg in Greenland and 127/81 mm Hg among the migrants (p<0.001). In both populations, blood pressure increased with age and body mass index, and was higher among men and non-smokers. In Greenland, blood pressure increased with the level of school education. The associations with Inuit heritage, alcohol, diet, and physical activity were not significant. The difference between the two populations persisted after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, education, and smoking. Among those who had completed high school, there was no difference between the systolic blood pressure of the two populations while the difference for diastolic blood pressure was much less than for those with less education. Conclusions: Blood pressure was lower among the Inuit in Greenland than among the Inuit migrants in Denmark but the difference was absent (systolic pressure) or reduced (diastolic pressure) among the better educated. The results suggest that the blood pressure of the Inuit, especially Inuit men, may be responsive to factors related to the modern Western way of life.
AB - Study objective: Previous studies of blood pressure among the Inuit have given inconsistent results and studies comparing Inuit migrants with those living in traditional Inuit areas are absent. The purpose of the study was to compare the blood pressure of the Inuit in Greenland with that of Inuit migrants in Denmark. Design: Questionnaire, interview, and clinical examination in a cross sectional random population sample. Setting: A population based survey among Inuit in Greenland and Inuit migrants in Denmark. Participants: 2046 Inuit aged ≥ 18, 61% of the sample. Main results: Age and gender adjusted blood pressures were 117/72 mm Hg in Greenland and 127/81 mm Hg among the migrants (p<0.001). In both populations, blood pressure increased with age and body mass index, and was higher among men and non-smokers. In Greenland, blood pressure increased with the level of school education. The associations with Inuit heritage, alcohol, diet, and physical activity were not significant. The difference between the two populations persisted after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, education, and smoking. Among those who had completed high school, there was no difference between the systolic blood pressure of the two populations while the difference for diastolic blood pressure was much less than for those with less education. Conclusions: Blood pressure was lower among the Inuit in Greenland than among the Inuit migrants in Denmark but the difference was absent (systolic pressure) or reduced (diastolic pressure) among the better educated. The results suggest that the blood pressure of the Inuit, especially Inuit men, may be responsive to factors related to the modern Western way of life.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036200104&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/jech.56.4.279
DO - 10.1136/jech.56.4.279
M3 - Article
C2 - 11896135
AN - SCOPUS:0036200104
VL - 56
SP - 279
EP - 284
JO - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
JF - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
SN - 0143-005X
IS - 4
ER -