title: Obesity and obesity-associated cardiometabolic risk factors in indigenous Nenets women from the rural Nenets Autonomous Area and Russian women from Arkhangelsk city.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of obesity and obesity-related conditions varies by population groups. Indigenous women of the circumpolar north are believed to be at high risk of obesity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We studied, first the obesity prevalence in indigenous Arctic women, Nenets, compared to urban Russian women. Second, the association between obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors in the combined group of Nenets and Russian women. Third, ethnic differences in the association between obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study performed in 2008-2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  93 Nenets women, aged 19-77 (the indigenous village, the Nenets Autonomous Area) and 132 Russian women, aged 21-72 (Arkhangelsk city). Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI)≥30 kg/m(2), waist circumference (WC)≥88 cm and or waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)≥0.85%. We assessed associations between obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors by linear and logistic regression models that included covariates of ethnicity, age, smoking and physical activity. We also tested for interaction between obesity measurements and ethnicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of obesity estimated through BMI, WC and WHR were 42.5, 45.3 and 41.9% in Nenets and 34.4, 46.4 and 29.5% in Russians, respectively, with no differences found. BMI, WC and WHR associated positively with triglycerides, fasting insulin and Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance index. In addition, BMI and WC correlated negatively with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and positively with systolic blood pressure and apolipoprotein B/apoliporotein A-I ratio. WC explained significant variation in fasting glucose (FG) level. BMI predicted type 2 diabetes history. FG level associated strongly with ethnicity and was found to be higher in Russians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no differences in prevalence of obesity between Nenets and Russian females. Obesity was associated with cardiometabolic risk factors independently of ethnicity in the sample studied. There was no link between obesity measurements and ethnicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Petrenya
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Centre for Sami Health Research, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Magritt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brustad
authors.affiliation: FGBUN Institute of Physiology of Natural Adaptations, Ural Branch, The Russian Academy of Sciences, Arkhangelsk, Russia.
authors.forename: Liliya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dobrodeeva
authors.affiliation: FGBUN Institute of Physiology of Natural Adaptations, Ural Branch, The Russian Academy of Sciences, Arkhangelsk, Russia.
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bichkaeva
authors.affiliation: FGBUN Institute of Physiology of Natural Adaptations, Ural Branch, The Russian Academy of Sciences, Arkhangelsk, Russia.
authors.forename: Gulnara
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lutfalieva
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Jon Øyvind
authors.initials: JØ
authors.lastname: Odland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001110:Arctic Regions / Q000208:ethnology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D044382:Population Groups; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012424:Rural Population; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Arctic; Nenets; Russians; body mass index; cardiometabolic risk; ethnicity; obesity; waist circumference; waist-to-hip ratio; women