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Dietary acculturation is associated with diminished serum vitamin D status among Yup'ik Eskimos of Western Alaska
Author(s) -
Luick Bret Roger,
Bersamin Andrea
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.2_supplement.799
Subject(s) - vitamin d and neurology , acculturation , population , vitamin , medicine , calcium , environmental health , endocrinology , geography , immigration , archaeology
We hypothesize that dietary acculturation is leading to inadequate vitamin D and calcium intakes among Yup'ik Eskimos as suggested by reported low calcium and vitamin D intakes, low serum 25‐hydoxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and early onset of bone demineralization. Seasonality of 25(OH)D can be expected at this latitude with ameliorating effects from consumption of fatty fish. Diet data and blood specimens were collected from 546 Yup'ik Eskimos aged 14–94 living in Rural Alaska Native communities, approximately 60°N. Height, weight, percent body fat, usual intake and 25(OH)D were estimated. Traditional foods (primarily fish and seal oil) were the leading source of dietary vitamin D but were inversely related to calcium intake. Mean calcium intake (417(298) mg/d) declined significantly, whereas vitamin D intake (15.4 (20.7) ug/d), and 25(OH)D (38.2 (16.3) ng/ml) increased significantly with traditional food use, adjusted for sampling date. Summer 25(OH)D levels were significantly higher among youth but not elders, who had a consistently adequate level of 25(OH)D (>30 ng/ml) throughout the year. Use of traditional foods appeared to provide protection against vitamin D deficiency in this population but was simultaneously associated with diminished calcium intake. Consequently, diets lower in traditional foods, as typically consumed by youth, were associated with poorer vitamin D status. Therefore, the progression of acculturation, as measured by increased use of Western foods at the expense of fish and seal oil intake, can be expected to lead to poorer vitamin D status but potentially improved calcium intake.