The Metabolic Syndrome in Inuit
- Rebecca L. Pollex, BSC1,
- Hafiz M.R. Khan, PHD1,
- Philip W. Connelly, PHD2,
- T. Kue Young, MD34 and
- Robert A. Hegele, MD1
- 1Vascular Biology Group, Robarts Research Institute and University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- 2Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 4Department of Pathobiology, University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Address correspondence to Robert A. Hegele, MD, Blackburn Cardiovascular Genetics Lab, Robarts Research Institute, 406 - 100 Perth Dr., London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5K8. E-mail: hegele{at}robarts.ca
Inuit have been considered to have a lower prevalence of diabetes and age-adjusted mortality from cardiovascular disease than the general population (1,2). This observation has prompted investigation of both traditional and newer cardiovascular risk factors. A new risk cluster called the metabolic syndrome, defined as three or more of 1) fasting glucose ≥6.1 mmol/l; 2) blood pressure ≥130/85 mmHg; 3) triglycerides ≥1.69 mmol/l; 4) HDL cholesterol <1.04 mmol/l in men or <1.29 in women; and 5) waist circumference >102 cm in men or >88 cm in women (3 …
