Body proportions in healthy adult Inuit in East Greenland in 1963

Abstract

Objectives. It is important to know the starting point when describing changes in Inuit in transition. Study design. The original charts of 1,852 individuals from the epidemiological investigation in East Greenland around 1963 performed by Littauer and colleagues were recovered recently. They included height, weight and a physical investigation. Methods and results. The focus of this paper was adult Inuit body proportions in 1963 by ten-year age groups excluding participants with disabilities affecting body build. Relatively stable values were seen in both genders with age. Median values in men/women aged 20 years and above were: height 164/153.5 cm, weight 64/54 kg and BMI 23.7/23.1. Men aged 50 years and above had a little lower height and weight than young men. Women aged 40–49 years had a higher weight and BMI, but this evened out in the older age groups. Median BMI was relatively high compared to WHO definition. Conclusions. The data from 1963 gives a starting point for evaluating changes in Inuit body build and the prevalence of overweight. Furthermore, they indicate a need for Inuit-specific normal BMI delineation.

Key Words:

• Inuit
• Indigenous
• Greenland
• Historic
• BMI
• Body build