A comparison of the metabolic response to abdominal obesity in two Canadian Inuit and First Nations population.

Inuit and Cree populations are known for high obesity rates despite markedly different rates of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). To document this apparent discrepancy we evaluated the impact of body size parameters and fasting insulin (FI) on several T2DM risk factors among Inuit and Cree populations (Québec, Canada). A total of 1,104 adults (≥18 years) Inuit and Cree individuals participated in a cross-sectional investigation.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is not associated with insulin resistance or beta cell function in Canadian Cree.

Epidemiological studies report inverse associations between blood vitamin D, as measured by 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations, and insulin resistance (IR) among predominantly overweight individuals. In a cross-sectional survey of 5 Cree communities in Quebec, Canada, we determined if 25(OH)D is associated with IR and β-cell function in a largely obese, ethnic minority at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A total of 510 participants (≥18 y) without type 1 or type 2 diabetes, assessed for serum 25(OH)D, fasting plasma glucose and insulin, and anthropometric and lifestyle variables, were included in the analyses.