Caring for American Eskimo, Japanese, & Russian Populations

Sample Answer

. Factors that Predispose Eskimos (Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic) to Risk from Large Sugar Consumption

It's important to note that "Eskimo" is a term some find outdated; "Inuit" is often used for Canadian and Greenlandic groups, and "Iñupiat" in Alaska. However, the term "Eskimo" is used here as per the prompt, referring to Indigenous populations of the Arctic region. Their predisposition to risks from sugar consumption is often linked to rapid cultural and dietary changes (a concept sometimes referred to in relation to the "thrifty gene" hypothesis, though that theory has limitations).

Factors include:

• Historical Diet Composition: Traditional Arctic diets were extremely high in protein and fat (primarily from marine mammals like seals and whales, land mammals like caribou, and fish) and extremely low in carbohydrates, including simple sugars. There were virtually no naturally occurring sugary foods.
• Genetic Adaptation Hypothesis (Simplified): Over millennia, their metabolism may have adapted to efficiently store fat and protein during times of abundance for use during long, harsh winters and periods of scarcity. This adaptation, termed the "thrifty gene" hypothesis in broad terms, suggests their bodies are highly efficient at using calories, potentially including sugars, when introduced, leading to a higher susceptibility to metabolic issues like insulin resistance when faced with a sudden influx of carbohydrates/sugars.. Factors that Predispose Eskimos (Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic) to Risk from Large Sugar Consumption