The Inuits of Greenland have been known to have excellent cardiovascular health, which is a rising health issue in America. Their extreme lifestyle, mainly the freezing cold temperatures, is supported by their diet. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, found in the fat from their consumption of fish and marine mammals. Scientists are still putting the pieces together as to why their diet specifically is so beneficial to their health and hardiness in extreme conditions.
Rasmus Nielson, a population geneticist of the University of California, sought to find the specific DNA differences between populations that may account for the differences in the way we process fatty acids. His research team looked at differences in DNA between 191 Inuits, 60 Europeans, and 44 Han Chinese. They found significant differences on chromosome 11, where many genes control processing of fatty acids. They narrowed down on one DNA base found in most of the Inuits, but only 15% in the Han Chinese and rare in the Europeans. From this research, it is hypothesized that certain populations lacking the base that most Inuits have, have less protection from fats.
Nielson's research is important to world of genetics because it may be leading us towards diets that are determined based on "personalized genetic profiles." I find this information valuable because social media and many dietary journals stress the importance of specific diets to the point where it reaches a startling conformity. Everyone is different and we all require varying levels of fats and vitamins. Fish oil may not be good for everyone, but it definitely makes a difference for the Inuits. In a similar way, other supplements and vitamins found in our foods may have profound differences in effect from person to person.
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Benefits of fish oil
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