Nutrition biomarker assessment and exploration of the role of country foods to improve food security in the Sahtú Region, Canada.

Country foods (i.e. wild traditional food) are associated with improved nutrition for northern populations.

Levels and trends of persistent organic pollutants in human populations living in the Arctic.

The Arctic Monitoring Assessment Program (AMAP) is tasked with monitoring and assessing the status of environmental contaminants in the Arctic, documenting levels and trends, and producing science-based assessments. The objectives of this paper are to present the current levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) across the Arctic, and to identify trends and knowledge gaps as detailed in the most recent AMAP Human Health Assessment Report. Many Arctic populations continue to have elevated levels of these contaminants, and the highest levels of POPs were observed in populations from Greenland, Faroe Islands, and Nunavik (Canada), as well as populations in the coastal Chukotka district (Russia) for legacy POPs only.

Levels and trends of metals in human populations living in the Arctic.

The 2021 Arctic Monitoring Assessment Program (AMAP)'s Human Health Assessment report presents a summary of the presence of contaminants in human populations across the circumpolar Arctic and provides an update to the previous assessment released in 2015. The primary objective of this paper is to summarise some of these findings by describing the current levels of metals across the Arctic, including key regional and temporal trends based on available national data and literature, and highlight knowledge gaps. Many Arctic populations continue to have elevated levels of these contaminants, and the highest levels of mercury (Hg) were observed in populations from Greenland, Faroe Islands, and Nunavik (Canada).

Awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the Dehcho and sahtú regions of the Northwest Territories.

The development and dissemination of health messaging is a critical component of reducing health disparities. Participants ( = 87) from a human biomonitoring study in six Dene communities responded to a survey about health communication regarding contaminants. The survey included questions on awareness of health messages and risk perceptions related to country foods and contaminants.

Updated review on contaminant communication experiences in the circumpolar Arctic.

Arctic populations are amongst the highest exposed populations to long-range transported contaminants globally, with the main exposure pathway being through the diet. Dietary advice is an important immediate means to address potential exposure and help minimize adverse health effects. The objective of this work is to enable easier access to dietary advice and communication guidance on contaminants with a focus on the Arctic.

Human biomonitoring of dioxins, furans, and non-ortho dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in blood plasma from Old Crow, Yukon, Canada (2019).

Dioxins, furans, and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of persistent and toxic chemicals that are known to have human health effects at low levels. These chemicals have been produced for commercial use (PCBs) or unintentionally as by-products of industry or natural processes (PCBs, dioxins, and furans). Additionally, dioxin-like PCBs were formerly used in electrical applications before being banned internationally (2004).

Dietary Intake Estimated From a 24-Hour Recall Questionnaire in the Dene and Métis Communities of the Northwest Territories, Canada.

Background: Food security and nutrient deficiencies are frequent issues for people living in northern remote regions of Canada.

Objective: The objective of this study is to describe the nutrient intake of residents living in the Dene/Métis communities of the Dehcho and Sahtú regions of the Northwest Territories.

Methods: A 24-h dietary recall survey was used to collect information from participants of a study completed in 9 communities during the winter seasons of January 2016 to March 2018.

Sources of exposure to lead in Arctic and subarctic regions: a scoping review.

Understanding lead exposure pathways is a priority because of its ubiquitous presence in the environment as well as the potential health risks. We aimed to identify potential lead sources and pathways of lead exposure, including long-range transport, and the magnitude of exposure in Arctic and subarctic communities. A scoping review strategy and screening approach was used to search literature from January 2000 to December 2020.

Dietary Intakes of Traditional Foods for Dene/Métis in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions of the Northwest Territories.

A dietary transition away from traditional foods and toward a diet of the predominantly unhealthy market is a public health and sociocultural concern throughout Indigenous communities in Canada, including those in the sub-Arctic and remote regions of Dehcho and Sahtú of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The main aim of the present study is to describe dietary intakes for macronutrients and micronutrients in traditional and market food from the Mackenzie Valley study. We also show the trends of contributions and differences of dietary intakes over time from 1994 data collected and reported by the Centre for Indigenous People's Nutrition and Environment (CINE) in 1996.

Hair to blood mercury concentration ratios and a retrospective hair segmental mercury analysis in the Northwest Territories, Canada.

Concentrations of total mercury were measured in blood and hair samples collected as part of a human biomonitoring project conducted in First Nations communities of the Mackenzie Valley, Northwest Territories, Canada. Hair (n = 443) and blood (n = 276) samples were obtained from six communities in the Dehcho region and three communities in the Sahtú region of the Mackenzie Valley. The aim of this paper was to calculate hair to blood mercury ratios (for matched samples) and determine if: 1) ratios differed significantly between the two regions; 2) ratios differed from the 250:1 ratio proposed by the WHO; and, 3) point estimates of hair to blood mercury ratios could be used to estimate blood mercury concentrations.

Biomarkers of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Sub-Arctic and Arctic communities in Canada.

Polyfluoroalkyl substances and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of anthropogenic chemicals that are used in food packaging, waterproof clothing, and firefighting foams for their water and oil resistant properties. Though levels of some PFAS appear to be decreasing in Canada's south, environmental levels have been increasing in the Arctic due to long-range transport. However, the implications of this on human exposures in sub-Arctic and Arctic populations in Canada have yet to be established.

Game bird consumption in Dene communities of the Northwest Territories, Canada.

Objective: Game bird consumption is an important part of the diet of Indigenous populations in Canada and, as part of country food consumption, is associated with improved nutritional status. The objective of this project was to document the consumption of game birds for Dene First Nations in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada.

Design: Participants were invited to complete a FFQ using an iPad to document the types of country foods consumed, as well as consumption frequency and preparation methods, including thirteen types of game birds.

Human biomonitoring results of contaminant and nutrient biomarkers in Old Crow, Yukon, Canada.

Several large-scale human biomonitoring projects have been conducted in Canada, including the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) and the First Nations Biomonitoring Initiative (FNBI). However, neither of these studies included participants living in the Yukon. To address this data gap, a human biomonitoring project was implemented in Old Crow, a fly-in Gwich'in community in the northern Yukon.

Human biomonitoring of metals in sub-Arctic Dene communities of the Northwest Territories, Canada.

A human biomonitoring project investigating environmental exposures to metals from hair, blood and urine samples was implemented in the Northwest Territories, Canada, between January 2016 and March 2018. This study reports the metal biomarker levels from nine Dene communities located in the Dehcho and Sahtú regions to identify contaminants of interest. Levels of metals in the urine (n = 198), blood (n = 276) and hair (n = 443) samples were generally similar to those seen in other biomonitoring studies in Canada, but lead levels in blood (GM = 16 μg/L; 95th percentile = 71 μg/L) and urine (GM = 0.

Food frequency questionnaire assessing traditional food consumption in Dene/Métis communities, Northwest Territories, Canada.

Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ) can be used to document food consumption and to estimate the intake of contaminants for Indigenous populations. The objective of this project was to refine and implement an FFQ to estimate the consumption of traditional locally harvested foods for Dene/Métis in the Northwest Territories, Canada. The strategy consisted of: 1) refining the FFQ through three focus groups and, 2) implementing the FFQ in Indigenous communities.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) levels in urine samples collected in a subarctic region of the Northwest Territories, Canada.

Traditional food consumption for Indigenous peoples is associated with improved nutrition and health but can also pose potential risks via exposure to contaminants. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are compounds of interest due to their widespread presence (e.g.

Implementation of human biomonitoring in the Dehcho region of the Northwest Territories, Canada (2016-2017).

Background: Human biomonitoring represents an important tool for health risk assessment, supporting the characterization of contaminant exposure and nutrient status. In communities where country foods (locally harvested foods: land animals, fish, birds, plants) are integrated in the daily diet, as is the case in remote northern regions where food security is a challenge, such foods can potentially be a significant route of contaminant exposure. To assess this issue, a biomonitoring project was implemented among Dene/Métis communities of the Dehcho region of the Northwest Territories, Canada.

Cadmium exposure in First Nations communities of the Northwest Territories, Canada: smoking is a greater contributor than consumption of cadmium-accumulating organ meats.

Traditional food consumption among northern populations is associated with improved nutrition but occasionally can also increase contaminant exposure. High levels of cadmium in the organs of moose from certain regions of the Northwest Territories, Canada, led to the release of consumption notices. These notices recommended that individuals limit their consumption of kidney and liver from moose harvested from the Southern Mackenzie Mountain.

Design of a human biomonitoring community-based project in the Northwest Territories Mackenzie Valley, Canada, to investigate the links between nutrition, contaminants and country foods.

Community-based projects place emphasis on a collaborative approach and facilitate research among Indigenous populations regarding local issues and challenges, such as traditional foods consumption, climate change and health safety. Country foods (locally harvested fish, game birds, land animals and plants), which contribute to improved food security, can also be a primary route of contaminant exposure among populations in remote regions. A community-based project was launched in the Dehcho and Sahtù regions of the Northwest Territories (Canada) to: 1) assess contaminants exposure and nutrition status; 2) investigate the role of country food on nutrient and contaminant levels and 3) understand the determinants of message perception on this issue.

Time courses and variability of pyrethroid biomarkers of exposure in a group of agricultural workers in Quebec, Canada.

Purpose: Cypermethrin is a pyrethroid pesticide widely used in agriculture. Exposure can be assessed through biomonitoring. However, interpretation of results requires a proper knowledge of the toxicokinetics of the exposure biomarkers of interest.

Detailed Urinary Excretion Time Courses of Biomarkers of Exposure to Permethrin and Estimated Exposure in Workers of a Corn Production Farm in Quebec, Canada.

Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide widely used in agriculture. Farm workers are thus regularly exposed during spraying season. To help interpret routine biomonitoring results, a proper knowledge of the time courses of biomarkers of exposure is necessary.

Time profiles and toxicokinetic parameters of key biomarkers of exposure to cypermethrin in orally exposed volunteers compared with previously available kinetic data following permethrin exposure.

Biomonitoring of pyrethroid exposure is largely conducted but human toxicokinetics has not been fully documented. This is essential for a proper interpretation of biomonitoring data. Time profiles and toxicokinetic parameters of key biomarkers of exposure to cypermethrin in orally exposed volunteers have been documented and compared with previously available kinetic data following permethrin dosing.

Toxicokinetics of permethrin biomarkers of exposure in orally exposed volunteers.

Permethrin is a widely used pyrethroid insecticide for which the toxicokinetics of exposure biomarkers in humans is not fully documented. The time courses of key biomarkers of permethrin exposure were thus assessed in accessible biological matrices of orally exposed volunteers. Six volunteers ingested 0.