Reindeer herders from subarctic Finland exhibit high total energy expenditure and low energy intake during the autumn herd roundup

Ocobock, Cara; Soppela, Päivi; Turunen, Minna; Stenbäck, Ville; Herzig, Karl‐Heinz; Rimbach, Rebecca; Pontzer, Herman

doi:10.1002/ajhb.23676

Cited by 14 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…This study is part of a larger project, “The metabolic cost of living among reindeer herders in northern Finland, 2017–2020” assessing the biological and cultural mechanisms for coping with a highly demanding occupation in an extreme cold environment. This larger project incorporated measurements of resting metabolic rate [ 38 ], brown adipose tissue activity [ 39 ], total energy expenditure [ 36 ], and ethnographic interviews [ 37 ]. Reindeer herders in Finland are both Indigenous Sami and Finnish, and their herding work blends traditional and modern technologies and practices [ 37 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, Finland has some of the highest rates of cardiovascular disease in the world, though this is declining [ 33–35 ]. However, less is known about reindeer herders in Finland who are highly physically active due to participation in subsistence practices [ 36 , 37 ], and exhibit an unusual metabolic pattern with females having higher resting metabolic rates than males [ 38 ]. Here we examine the relationship between BMI, body adiposity, and cardiometabolic health biomarkers (fasting glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels) among a small sample of highly active cold climate population of reindeer herders from sub-Arctic Finland.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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No association of BMI and body adiposity with cardiometabolic biomarkers among a small sample of reindeer herders of sub-Arctic Finland

Ocobock

Soppela

Turunen

2022

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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The rising global obesity rate is alarming due to its real health and socioeconomic consequences. Finland, like other circumpolar regions, is also experiencing a rise in obesity . Here we assess BMI, body adiposity, and measures of cardiometabolic health among a small population of reindeer herders in sub-Arctic Finland. We collected anthropometric and biomarker measures at two different time points: October 2018 (N = 20) and January 2019 (N = 21) with a total of 25 unique individuals across the data collection periods (ages 20–64). Anthropometric measures included height, weight, age, and body composition. Biomarkers included measures of cholesterol, fasting glucose, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Over 70% of this sample was classified as “overweight” and “obese” as categorised by BMI and 64% classified as “overfat” based on body fat percentage. However, there was no significant relationship between BMI and body fat percentage with any of the measured biomarkers. Although the sample size is small, the results of this study suggest there might not be a strong correlation between BMI, body adiposity, and cardiometabolic health indices within this population – a pattern that has been documented elsewhere. However, further study is needed to confirm this lack of a correlation.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No association of BMI and body adiposity with cardiometabolic biomarkers among a small sample of reindeer herders of sub-Arctic Finland

Ocobock

Soppela

Turunen

2022

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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“…The participation in subsistence activities and TEE were positively correlated 28 , thus suggesting that the more traditional lifestyle increased TEE, likely by costs of physical activity or potentially, thermoregulation. Reindeer herders, during a very active period, had a greater TEE than populations of market economies and those with a hunter-gatherer lifestyle 29 . The reindeer herders’ high TEE was mainly attributed to their physical activity 29 , although the mean temperature during the month of observation was 1 °C, thus, some cold-induced thermogenesis may have contributed to the energy demands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

High daily energy expenditure of Tuvan nomadic pastoralists living in an extreme cold environment

Sellers

Khovalyg

Plasqui

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Research investigating thermoregulatory energy costs in free-living humans is limited. We determined the total energy expenditure (TEE) of Tuvan pastoralists living in an extreme cold environment and explored the contribution of physical activity and cold-induced thermogenesis. Twelve semi-nomadic pastoralists (47 ± 8 years, 64 ± 8 kg) living under traditional circumstances, in Tuva, south-central Siberia, Russia, were observed during two consecutive 6-day periods in winter. TEE was measured via the doubly labelled water technique. Skin and ambient temperatures, and physical activity were continuously monitored. The outdoor temperature during the observation period was − 27.4 ± 5.4 °C. During the daytime, the participants were exposed to ambient temperatures below 0 °C for 297 ± 131 min/day. The Tuvan pastoralists were more physically active compared to western populations (609 ± 90 min/day of light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity). In addition, TEE was 13.49 ± 1.33 MJ/day (3224 ± 318 kcal/day), which was significantly larger by 17% and 31% than predicted by body mass, and fat-free mass, respectively. Our research suggests the daily cold exposure combined with high levels of physical activity contributed to the elevated TEE. Future research should reconsider the assumption that energy costs due to thermoregulation are negligible in free-living humans.

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“…Among the potential reasons for the disconnect between BMI and cardiometabolic health among this sample is the high level of physical activity. Reindeer herders are highly active—they expend a mean of ∼4200 kcal/day during their annual herd roundup, which puts their total energy expenditure at a level similar to that of hot climate farming populations [ 37 ]. However, the high levels of physical activity may not be the only reason for the BMI-health disconnect.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Commentary—fat but fit…and cold? Potential evolutionary and environmental drivers of metabolically healthy obesity

Ocobock

Niclou

2022

Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health

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As global obesity rates continue to rise, it is important to understand the origin, role, and range of human variation of the body mass index (BMI) in assessing health and healthcare. A growing body of evidence suggests that BMI is a poor indicator of health across populations, and that there may be a metabolically healthy obese phenotype. Here we review the reasons why BMI is an inadequate tool for assessing cardiometabolic health. We then suggest that cold climate adaptations may also render BMI an uninformative metric. Underlying evolutionary and environmental drivers may allow for heat conserving larger body sizes without necessarily increasing metabolic health risks. However, there may also be a potential mismatch between modern obesogenic environments and physical adaptations to cold climates, highlighting the need to further investigate the potential of metabolically healthy obese phenotypes among circumpolar and other populations and the broader meaning for metabolic health. Lay Abstract Global obesity rates are on the rise; however, body mass index (BMI) is a poor indicator of metabolic health. Here we propose that cold climate populations may exhibit high BMIs, but relatively healthy metabolic profiles (metabolically healthy obesity) due to environmental and evolutionary pressures associated with inhabiting a cold climate.

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Reindeer herders from subarctic Finland exhibit high total energy expenditure and low energy intake during the autumn herd roundup

Cited by 14 publications

References 72 publications

No association of BMI and body adiposity with cardiometabolic biomarkers among a small sample of reindeer herders of sub-Arctic Finland

No association of BMI and body adiposity with cardiometabolic biomarkers among a small sample of reindeer herders of sub-Arctic Finland

High daily energy expenditure of Tuvan nomadic pastoralists living in an extreme cold environment

Commentary—fat but fit…and cold? Potential evolutionary and environmental drivers of metabolically healthy obesity

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