Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is the top dietary source of iron and several micronutrients necessary for red blood cell production (erythropoiesis) in the contemporary diet of Inuit adults across Canada. Many caribou populations across the circumpolar north, however, have experienced dramatic declines in recent decades. Restricted access to caribou may negatively impact the nutrition and health of Inuit communities. We used data from the Inuit Health Survey, a cross-sectional survey of 2550 Inuit adults in thirty-six communities across northern Canada (conducted in 2007–2008) to examine the relationship between caribou consumption, hemoglobin (Hb), and blood biomarkers of nutrient intake and contaminant exposure. Multivariable linear regression was used to investigate the potential public health impact of a theoretical restriction in caribou consumption, by estimating the response of Hb concentrations (and the attendant change in anemia prevalence), to theoretical changes in caribou consumption (with and without substitution of caribou with other country food meat). Mean (95% CI) daily caribou meat consumption differed by an order of magnitude 4.3 (3.9–4.7), 51.1 (48.5-53.8), and 236.7 (224.7–248.7) grams/day between tertiles of caribou consumption. Mean (95% CI) hemoglobin levels increased from 129.1 (128.1–130.2) g/L to 132.5 (131.3–133.7) g/L between the highest and lowest tertiles of caribou consumption. In multivariable regression analyses, average daily caribou meat consumption was positively associated (P< 0.001) with hemoglobin levels. This relationship translated into approximately 4 g/L hemoglobin increase in participants in the third tertile of caribou consumption. The overall prevalence of anemia observed in the study population was 26.5% (24.5 – 28.3%) and a modelled restriction in caribou consumption (i.e. caribou = 0) increased the overall prevalence of anemia by approximately 6%. The maximum negative effect of caribou restrictions was related to a complete restriction on caribou consumption, coupled with the substitution of caribou with other country food meat (35.4% prevalence). Given the importance of caribou to Inuit culture, health and wellbeing, and the high price of healthful market foods in remote northern communities, strategies to promote the sustainable harvest of country foods are urgently required to ensure the health and nutrition security of the Inuit, in the context of rapidly changing Arctic environments and ecosystems.

中文翻译：

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限制北美驯鹿（Rangifer tarandus）消费对加拿大北部因纽特成年人贫血患病率的潜在影响

驯鹿 (Rangifer tarandus) 是加拿大因纽特人当代饮食中红细胞生成（红细胞生成）所必需的铁和几种微量营养素的主要饮食来源。然而，近几十年来，环北极地区的许多北美驯鹿种群数量急剧下降。限制接触驯鹿可能会对因纽特社区的营养和健康产生负面影响。我们使用因纽特人健康调查的数据，这是一项对加拿大北部 36 个社区的 2550 名因纽特成年人进行的横断面调查（于 2007 年至 2008 年进行），以检查驯鹿消费、血红蛋白 (Hb) 和血液生物标志物之间的关系。营养摄入和污染物暴露。多变量线性回归用于研究驯鹿消费的理论限制对公共健康的潜在影响，通过估计 Hb 浓度（以及随之而来的贫血患病率变化）对驯鹿消费的理论变化（有和没有替代驯鹿）的反应与其他国家的食品肉类）。在驯鹿消费的三分位数之间，平均 (95% CI) 每日驯鹿肉类消费量相差 4.3 (3.9-4.7)、51.1 (48.5-53.8) 和 236.7 (224.7-248.7) 克/天。在驯鹿消费的最高和最低三分位数之间，平均 (95% CI) 血红蛋白水平从 129.1 (128.1–130.2) g/L 增加到 132.5 (131.3–133.7) g/L。在多变量回归分析中，平均每日驯鹿肉消费量与血红蛋白水平呈正相关（P<0.001）。这种关系转化为驯鹿消费量第三三分位数的参与者血红蛋白增加约 4 g/L。在研究人群中观察到的贫血总体患病率为 26.5%（24.5 – 28.3%），驯鹿消费的模拟限制（即驯鹿 = 0）使贫血的总体患病率增加了约 6%。驯鹿限制的最大负面影响与完全限制驯鹿消费有关，以及用其他国家的食用肉代替驯鹿（流行率为 35.4%）。鉴于驯鹿对因纽特人的文化、健康和福祉的重要性，以及偏远北部社区的健康市场食品价格高昂，迫切需要制定促进乡村食品可持续收获的战略，以确保因纽特人的健康和营养安全，