Mélanie Lemire


2022

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Contributions and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples to the study of mercury in the Arctic
Magali Houde, Eva M. Krümmel, Tero Mustonen, Jeremy R. Brammer, Tanya M. Brown, John Chételat, Parnuna Egede Dahl, Runé Dietz, Marlene S. Evans, Mary Gamberg, Marie-Josée Gauthier, José Gérin-Lajoie, Aviaja Zenia Edna Lyberth Hauptmann, Joel P. Heath, Dominique Henri, Jane L. Kirk, Brian Laird, Mélanie Lemire, Ann Eileen Lennert, Robert J. Letcher, Sarah Lord, Lisa L. Loseto, Gwyneth A. MacMillan, Stefan Mikaelsson, E. A. Mutter, Todd M. O’Hara, Sonja K. Ostertag, Martin D. Robards, Vyacheslav Shadrin, Margery A. Smith, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Enooyaq Sudlovenick, Heidi K. Swanson, Philippe J. Thomas, Virginia K. Walker, Alex Whiting
Science of The Total Environment, Volume 841

Arctic Indigenous Peoples are among the most exposed humans when it comes to foodborne mercury (Hg). In response, Hg monitoring and research have been on-going in the circumpolar Arctic since about 1991; this work has been mainly possible through the involvement of Arctic Indigenous Peoples. The present overview was initially conducted in the context of a broader assessment of Hg research organized by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme. This article provides examples of Indigenous Peoples' contributions to Hg monitoring and research in the Arctic, and discusses approaches that could be used, and improved upon, when carrying out future activities. Over 40 mercury projects conducted with/by Indigenous Peoples are identified for different circumpolar regions including the U.S., Canada, Greenland, Sweden, Finland, and Russia as well as instances where Indigenous Knowledge contributed to the understanding of Hg contamination in the Arctic. Perspectives and visions of future Hg research as well as recommendations are presented. The establishment of collaborative processes and partnership/co-production approaches with scientists and Indigenous Peoples, using good communication practices and transparency in research activities, are key to the success of research and monitoring activities in the Arctic. Sustainable funding for community-driven monitoring and research programs in Arctic countries would be beneficial and assist in developing more research/monitoring capacity and would promote a more holistic approach to understanding Hg in the Arctic. These activities should be well connected to circumpolar/international initiatives to ensure broader availability of the information and uptake in policy development.

2020

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Drivers and health implications of the dietary transition among Inuit in the Canadian Arctic: a scoping review
Matthew Little, Hilary Hagar, Chloe Zivot, Warren Dodd, Kelly Skinner, Hing Man Chan, Amy Caughey, Josephine Gaupholm, Mélanie Lemire
Public Health Nutrition, Volume 24, Issue 9

The current study undertook a systematic scoping review on the drivers and implications of dietary changes among Inuit in the Canadian Arctic.A keyword search of peer-reviewed articles was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Academic Search Premier, Circumpolar Health Bibliographic Database and High North Research Documents. Eligibility criteria included all full-text articles of any design reporting on research on food consumption, nutrient intake, dietary adequacy, dietary change, food security, nutrition-related chronic diseases or traditional food harvesting and consumption among Inuit populations residing in Canada. Articles reporting on in vivo and in vitro experiments or on health impacts of environmental contaminants were excluded.A total of 162 studies were included. Studies indicated declining country food (CF) consumption in favour of market food (MF). Drivers of this transition include colonial processes, poverty and socio-economic factors, changing food preferences and knowledge, and climate change. Health implications of the dietary transition are complex. Micro-nutrient deficiencies and dietary inadequacy are serious concerns and likely exacerbated by increased consumption of non-nutrient dense MF. Food insecurity, overweight, obesity and related cardiometabolic health outcomes are growing public health concerns. Meanwhile, declining CF consumption is entangled with shifting culture and traditional knowledge, with potential implications for psychological, spiritual, social and cultural health and well-being.By exploring and synthesising published literature, this review provides insight into the complex factors influencing Inuit diet and health. Findings may be informative for future research, decision-making and intersectoral actions around risk assessment, food policy and innovative community programmes.