title: Lung function in Greenlandic and Danish children and adolescents.
abstract: Respiratory morbidity in Inuit children is high. However, little is know regarding lung function measures in this population. The forced expiratory volumes in one second (FEV(1)) and forced vital capacity (FVC) in 888 Greenlandic Inuits (N=888) and Danes (N=477) aged 6-18 years were compared. Furthermore, associations between level of lung function and atopy and lifestyle factors were estimated in Greenlanders. The effect of height on FEV(1) and FVC was significantly different in Greenlanders and Danes, this difference in lung function increased with increasing height, and could not be explained by differences in age weight and BMI. Thus, Greenlanders taller than 130 cm had up to 300-400 ml higher FEV(1) and FVC compared with Danes of the same height. Among Greenlanders, those living in settlements had the highest levels of both FEV(1) and FVC. Greenlanders had elevated levels of FEV(1) and FVC compared with Danes. The Inuit having a shorter limb length in relation to trunk height may account for these differences. However, our finding that Greenlanders living in settlements had the highest lung function level also suggests a possible role of factors in the traditional Greenlandic lifestyle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology Research, Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Statens Serum Institut, Artillertivej 5, DK 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. tgv@ssi.dk
authors.forename: Tyra Grove
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Bo V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Simon Francis
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wohlfahrt
authors.forename: Vibeke
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Backer
authors.forename: Mads
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melbye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D006116:Greenland; D006801:Humans; D004930:Inuit; D008019:Life Style; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013147:Spirometry / Q000379:methods; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution