An Exploratory Study of Diabetes in a First Nation Community with Respect to Serum Concentrations of p,p’-DDE and PCBs and Fish Consumption

doi:10.3390/ijerph6123179

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009, 6(12), 3179-3189; doi:10.3390/ijerph6123179

Article

An Exploratory Study of Diabetes in a First Nation Community with Respect to Serum Concentrations of p,p’-DDE and PCBs and Fish Consumption

Aline Philibert ¹^,* , Harold Schwartz ² and Donna Mergler ¹

¹ CINBIOSE, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM), C.P. 8888 succ. Centre ville H3C 3P8, Montréal (Québec), Canada ² Environmental Health Research Division, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada, Tunney’s Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9, Canada

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 4 November 2009 / Accepted: 2 December 2009 / Published: 11 December 2009

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Abstract: This study examined the association between self-reported diabetes, fish consumption and serum levels of organochlorines in a First Nation community. One quarter of the 101 participants reported diabetes. Serum PCBs, but not p,p’-DDE, were positively correlated to consumption frequency of total fish, walleye and pike, but not trout. Reported diabetes was positively associated to p,p’-DDE and some PCB congeners. Odds Ratios (OR) for reported diabetes for those in the upper 75th percentile for serum p,p’-DDE compared to the others were 3.5 (95% CI 1–13.8) and 6.1 (95% CI 1.4–27.3) (weight wet and lipid-standardized values, respectively) and for total sum of PCBs: 4.91 (95% CI 1.4–19.0) and 5.51 (95% CI 1.3–24.1). For participants who were in the upper 50th percentile for trout and white fish intake, reported diabetes was respectively 6 and 4 times lower compared to the others. These findings support the hypothesis that environmental exposure to elevated p,p’-DDE and PCBs is associated with increased risk of diabetes. Consumption of trout and white fish may be beneficial to reduce risk.

Keywords: First Nation; diabetes; fish; organochlorines; DDE; PCB

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MDPI and ACS Style

Philibert, A.; Schwartz, H.; Mergler, D. An Exploratory Study of Diabetes in a First Nation Community with Respect to Serum Concentrations of p,p’-DDE and PCBs and Fish Consumption. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009, 6, 3179-3189.

AMA Style

Philibert A., Schwartz H., Mergler D. An Exploratory Study of Diabetes in a First Nation Community with Respect to Serum Concentrations of p,p’-DDE and PCBs and Fish Consumption. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2009; 6(12):3179-3189.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Philibert, Aline; Schwartz, Harold; Mergler, Donna. 2009. "An Exploratory Study of Diabetes in a First Nation Community with Respect to Serum Concentrations of p,p’-DDE and PCBs and Fish Consumption." Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 6, no. 12: 3179-3189.

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