URQSUK: An integrated research program on arctic marine fat and lipids

The Urqsuk program is designed to better understand the nature, health and cultural importance of fats in the Canadian Arctic. A number of Inuit communities are reporting: changes in environmental conditions and changes in animal health and well-being; changes in such things as animal body condition including the nature of fat in these species; changes in individual attitudes among segments of the population towards both traditional (marine) fats and contemporary fats contained in market food items and the influence of these perspectives on diet and other behaviours. As well, the scientific literature reports changes in Arctic marine food webs related to changes in environmental conditions, which are influencing predator fatty acid signatures. Further, changes in lifestyle and dietary patterns have been observed among Inuit populations in recent decades. The gradual abandonment of aspects of a traditional lifestyle and diet has been linked to the increased prevalence of heart disease risk factors among the Inuit population such as obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The specific objectives of the Urqsuk program are: to ascertain fatty acids profiles among Inuit populations (sub-project 1); to identify the main dietary sources of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFAs) and assess the relationship between dietary source and blood levels of n-3 LC PUFAs (sub-project 1); to investigate if n-3PUFAs from a traditional diet of marine mammals and fish have a protective effect on coronary heart disease risk factors (blood lipids, inflammatory markers) (sub-project 1); to investigate if fatty acids from a traditional diet of marine mammals and fish protect against cardiac variability, a predictor of heart disease (sub-project 2); to investigate if fatty acids protect against atherosclerosis. (sub-project 3); to evaluate if trans fats increase the risk of atherosclerosis. (sub-project 3); to investigate if omega-3 fatty acids can prevent psychological distress. (sub-project 4); to investigate the changing knowledge of and perspectives on traditional and contemporary fats and the impacts that these perspectives may have on diet behaviour (sub-project 5); to identify sources and pathways of fatty acids in the marine food chain to understand their influence on species that compose the Inuit diet (sub-project 5).