The Relationship between Persistent Organic Pollutants Exposure and Type 2 Diabetes among First Nations in Ontario and Manitoba, Canada: A Difference in Difference Analysis

Lesya Marushka, Xuefeng Hu, Malek Batal, Tonio Sadik, Harold Schwartz, Amy Ing, Karen Fediuk, Constantine Tikhonov and Hing Man Chan
Additional contact information
Lesya Marushka: Biology Department, University of Ottawa, 180 Gendron Hall, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
Xuefeng Hu: Biology Department, University of Ottawa, 180 Gendron Hall, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
Malek Batal: Nutrition Department, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Liliane de Stewart, 2405 Côte-Sainte-Catherine Street, Montreal, QC H3T 1A8, Canada
Tonio Sadik: Assembly of First Nations, 55 Metcalfe St #1600, Ottawa, ON K1P 6L5, Canada
Harold Schwartz: Health Canada, Environmental Public Health Division, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), Room 2000A Jeanne Mance Bldg. AL 1920A, Tunney’s Pasture, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
Amy Ing: Nutrition Department, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Liliane de Stewart, 2405 Côte-Sainte-Catherine Street, Montreal, QC H3T 1A8, Canada
Karen Fediuk: Dietitian and Nutrition Researcher, Victoria, BC V8Y2V8, Canada
Constantine Tikhonov: Health Canada, Environmental Public Health Division, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), Room 2000A Jeanne Mance Bldg. AL 1920A, Tunney’s Pasture, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
Hing Man Chan: Biology Department, University of Ottawa, 180 Gendron Hall, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-19

Abstract: We previously studied the association between fish consumption and prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Manitoba and Ontario First Nations (FNs), Canada and found different results. In this study, we used a difference in difference model to analyze the data. Dietary and health data from the First Nations Food Nutrition and Environment Study, a cross-sectional study of 706 Manitoba and 1429 Ontario FNs were analyzed. The consumption of fish was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire. Fish samples were analyzed for dichloro diphenyldichloro ethylene (DDE) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) content. Difference in difference model results showed that persistent organic pollutant (POP) exposure was positively associated with T2D in a dose-response manner. Stronger positive associations were found among females (OR = 14.96 (3.72–60.11)) than in males (OR = 2.85 (1.14–8.04)). The breakpoints for DDE and PCB intake were 2.11 ng/kg/day and 1.47 ng/kg/day, respectively. Each further 1 ng/kg/day increase in DDE and PCB intake increased the risk of T2D with ORs 2.29 (1.26–4.17) and 1.44 (1.09–1.89), respectively. Our findings suggest that the balance of risk and benefits associated with fish consumption is highly dependent on the regional POP concentrations in fish.

Keywords: persistent organic pollutants; type 2 diabetes; fish consumption; difference in difference model; long chain n-3 fatty acids; First Nations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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