• S A Tokarev and A A Buganov.
• State Scientific Research Institute on Medical Problems of the Far North, Nadym, Russia. hypertonia@yandex.ru
• Alaska Med. 2007 Jan 1; 49 (2 Suppl): 142-4.

UnlabelledAim of the study was to define the interconnection between the period of living in extreme conditions of the Far North and non-infectious risk-factors (RF) development. The research of prevalence of main RF (salt-sensitivity deviation (SSD), low physical activity (LPhA), dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, smoking, low Mg blood level, excessive body mass (EBM), elevated blood pressure (EBP)) was done. 1,492 schoolchildren aged 11-14 years living in the Far North (Nadym-city, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug) were examined. The comparative analysis of the RF mentioned above was carried out in two groups: in children living in high latitudes since their birth (66.7%) and in children living in the Far North less than 10 years (33.3%).ResultsIt was stated that the higher the child's age, the higher RF he had. Low physical activity was the most prevalent predictor of non-infectious risk among all age-gender groups--it was found out in 14 year-old school-children 1.6 times more often than in 11-year aged children (67.6% vs 41.7%, p < 0.05). One of three adolescents had deviation in salt-sensitivity. Among children who lived in the Far North more than 10 years, low Mg blood level was found twice and increased BP 1.6 times more often in comparison with other children (26.7% vs 13.1% and 5.6% vs 3.5%, respectively). The longer the period of living in the Far North, the more prevalent were in children population such RF as low physical activity (40.9%), salt sensitivity deviations (34.9%), excessive body mass (14.2%). Population attributive risk conditioned by living in the Far North since birth was calculated. The results showed that the birth and long period of living in the Far North contributed greatly to such RF as EBP (0.56), hyperglycemia (0.3), low Mg blood level (0.21).ConclusionThe number of children having RF increased in accordance with increase of age and period of living in the Far North. The prevalent pathology predictors were low physical activity, dyslipidemia, salt sensitivity deviation, low Mg blood level, smoking. The frequency of a single RF in the population increased with age 2-4 times. The obtained data evidence the negative influence of extreme factors of the Far North on children's health and demand early RF prevention. The great attention in medical care must be given to children who were born and grow in Circumpolar region conditions.

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