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Age Differences in Vitamin A Intake Among Canadian Inuit

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Abstract

Background

Inuit traditional food provides ample amounts of preformed vitamin A. However, the dietary transition away from traditional food raises concerns regarding dietary adequacy. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient with inadequate and excessive exposures having adverse effects.

Objective

To evaluate total dietary vitamin A intake for Canadian Inuit from market food and traditional food sources and to evaluate retinol concentrations in liver and blubber.

Methods

Dietary surveys were conducted in 18 communities representing 5 Inuit regions, and traditional food items were evaluated for nutrient content.

Results

Among those 15–40 years of age, 68% of men and 60% of women had a dietary vitamin A intake below the estimated average requirement (EAR) for retinol activity equivalents (RAE)/day. Among those over 40 years of age, only 11% of men and 15% of women had a dietary vitamin A intake below the EAR. Young Inuit men had a relative risk of 6.2 (95% CI= 4.5–8.4), and young Inuit women had a relative risk of 4.0 (95% CI= 3.1–5.0) for dietary inadequacy compared to the older Inuit men and women, respectively. The median retinol content of liver of ringed seal, caribou, and fish were comparable to levels observed in market food liver. Liver was less frequently consumed by those 15–40 years of age than among older Inuit.

Discussion

Sub-optimal vitamin A intake is the predominant nutritional concern rather than excessive exposures. Public health education campaigns are needed to improve vitamin A intake among the younger generations of Inuit men and women.

Résumé

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Contexte: L’alimentation traditionnelle des Inuits est très riche en vitamine A préformée, mais on craint que l’abandon progressif des aliments traditionnels entraîne des carences alimentaires. La vitamine A est un élément nutritif essentiel dont le déficit ou l’excédent peut avoir des effets indésirables.

Objectif

Évaluer l’apport total en vitamine A provenant des sources de nourriture commerciales et traditionnelles dans l’alimentation des Inuits du Canada et évaluer les concentrations en rétinol dans le foie et le petit lard.

Méthode

Nous avons administré des questionnaires sur l’alimentation dans 18 collectivités représentant 5 régions inuites et évalué le contenu d’aliments traditionnels en éléments nutritifs.

Résultats

Chez les Inuits de 15 à 40 ans, 68 % des hommes et 60 % des femmes avaient un apport alimentaire en vitamine A inférieur au besoin moyen estimatif (BME) quotidien en équivalents rétinol (ER). Chez les plus de 40 ans, par contre, seulement 11 % des hommes et 15 % des femmes avaient un apport alimentaire en vitamine A inférieur au BME. Les jeunes hommes présentaient un risque relatif de carence alimentaire de 6,2 (IC de 95 %=4,5–8,4), et les jeunes femmes, un risque relatif de 4,0 (IC de 95 %= 3,1–5,0), respectivement, par rapport aux hommes et aux femmes plus âgés. Nous avons comparé la teneur médiane en rétinol dans des foies de phoque annelé, de caribou et de poisson et dans des foies vendus dans le commerce. Les Inuits de 15 à 40 ans consommaient moins souvent du foie que leurs aînés.

Discussion

Un apport sous-optimal en vitamine A préoccupe davantage les diététiciens qu’un apport excessif. Il faudrait mener des campagnes de sensibilisation du public afin d’améliorer l’apport en vitamine A chez les jeunes générations d’Inuits.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment (CINE) and School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada, H9X 2T6

    Grace M. Egeland PhD, Rula Soueida MSc & Harriet V. Kuhnlein PhD

  2. PATH, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Peter Berti PhD

  3. Department of Nutrition, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Olivier Receveur PhD

  4. Children’s and Women’s Health Centre of BC, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Laura T. Arbour MD

Authors
  1. Grace M. Egeland PhD
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  2. Peter Berti PhD
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  3. Rula Soueida MSc
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  4. Laura T. Arbour MD
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  5. Olivier Receveur PhD
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  6. Harriet V. Kuhnlein PhD
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Correspondence to Grace M. Egeland PhD.

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Egeland, G.M., Berti, P., Soueida, R. et al. Age Differences in Vitamin A Intake Among Canadian Inuit. Can J Public Health 95, 465–469 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403995

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