Since 1993, five population health surveys in Greenland have supported and monitored the public health strategy of Greenland and have monitored cardiometabolic and lung diseases: in 1993 (N=1728), 1999 (N=2001), 2005 (N=3253), 2014 (N=2188), and in 2018 (N=2539). The surveys have included persons aged 15 and above from more than 20 communities spread over the whole country. The survey examinations included personal interviews, clinical examinations of obesity, diabetes, lung- and cardiovascular disease. The most recent survey in 2018 included studies of the gut microbiome and diabetes complications. All studies have documented a high prevalence of diabetes with approximately 9% of the adult population being identified with diabetes, and the incidence of cardiovascular disease in Greenland is comparable to European populations. A strong genetic predisposition to several cardiometabolic conditions has been documented.
Links to general information on the population surveys:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35711125/
- https://www.sdu.dk/da/sif/rapporter/2019/befolkningsundersoegelsen_i_groenland (in Danish)
- https://www.sdu.dk/da/sif/rapporter/2011/inuit_health_in_transition
A few publications primarily on genetics:
- https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(22)00225-3/fulltext
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36267056/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34107227/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33912980/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29311636/