Features of lipid metabolism in Arctic residents depending on ethnicity andlifestyle

Abstract

Introduction : Metabolic adaptations can differ significantly amongArctic residents with different ethnicities, lifestyles and adherencesto traditional diets. The objective of this study was to examine thestatus of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and triglycerides and thevariability of BMI among Russian Arctic residents according toethnicity and lifestyle. Methods : The study involved adult females and males living in theterritories of the Russian Arctic. The participants were divided intothree groups: Indigenous reindeer herders leading a nomadiclifestyle (NIP), Indigenous people leading a sedentary lifestyle (SIP)and the Caucasian population (CP). The content of SFAs (C6–C24)and metabolic characteristics was determined using gaschromatographic and spectrophotometric methods. The study alsoincluded a quantitative comparison of the consumption of certaincategories of food products. To analyze data, we used thedescriptive analyses by non-parametric methods, as well asmultiple linear regression analysis. Results : The study found that the Caucasian females had highertriglyceride levels ( p <0.001), higher total content of long-chainSFAs (LCSFAs) (C13–C18) ( p =0.002) and that the SIP females hadreduced content of very-long-chain fatty acids (C20–C24)( p =0.039). These changes were not statistically significant for themales, partly due to the almost identical levels of triglyceridesC16:0 and C18:0 in the NIP and the CP. The content of medium-chain SFAs (MCSFAs) (C6–C12) was higher in the SIP ( p <0.001 forfemales; p =0.002 for males). The Indigenous males tended to havea lower BMI compared to the Caucasian males, resulting in a lowerprevalence of overweight or obesity: 49.3% in the NIP ( p =0.006)and 57.4% in the SIP versus 69.3% in the CP. In female participants,these frequencies did not differ, being 64%, 65.4% and 66%respectively. The NIP and SIP groups had higher consumption oftraditional foods, carbohydrate-rich foods, meat products andvegetable oils, the latter of which was positively associated withSFA content. Conclusion : The study revealed the dependence of the studiedparameters of lipid metabolism on ethnicity (Indigenous vCaucasian) and lifestyle (nomadic v sedentary). The populationmetabolic variability was expressed as the increase in the levels ofLCSFAs and triglycerides in the CP, reflecting, most likely, animbalance in the processes of their accumulation and consumptionwith a predominantly western type of nutrition. Indigenouspopulations, despite changes in diet towards an increasedconsumption of carbohydrate-rich products, have preserved anadaptive metabolism with the predominant use of lipids as energyresources. Higher levels of MCSFAs in the SIP, who are lessadherent to a traditional diet compared to the NIP, may becompensatory, with a growing role of such fatty acids in energyconsumption and thermogenesis.