Bates C, van Dam C, Horrobin D F, Morse N, Huang Y S, Manku M S
Prostaglandins Leukot Med. 1985 Jan;17(1):77-84. doi: 10.1016/0262-1746(85)90036-8.
Eskimos on a traditional diet have unusually low prevalences of cardiovascular disease and cancer. One possible reason is the high intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) which is thought to account for the high EPA and low arachidonic acid (AA) levels in Eskimo plasma. People who also consume a traditional diet exceptionally rich in EPA are the Indians of the west coast of Vancouver Island. There are about 12,000 of these people and their traditional diet has been affected much less than that of the Eskimos. When on their traditional diet the Vancouver Island Indians, like the Eskimos, have high EPA and low AA levels in plasma. When eating European food, EPA levels are in the European range, but AA levels are still exceptionally low, a finding also reported from Eskimos living in Denmark. In a small mixed race group, AA levels were intermediate between those in pure Indians and in Europeans. The high EPA levels in Eskimos and West Coast Indians are related to diet. The low AA levels, in contrast, are probably genetically determined. Unusual disease patterns in these populations cannot be entirely attributed to diet.
食用传统饮食的爱斯基摩人患心血管疾病和癌症的比例异常低。一个可能的原因是二十碳五烯酸（EPA）的摄入量高，据认为这是爱斯基摩人血浆中EPA含量高而花生四烯酸（AA）含量低的原因。同样食用富含EPA的传统饮食的是温哥华岛西海岸的印第安人。这些人约有12000人，他们的传统饮食受影响程度远小于爱斯基摩人。温哥华岛印第安人在食用传统饮食时，和爱斯基摩人一样，血浆中EPA含量高而AA含量低。当他们食用欧洲食物时，EPA水平处于欧洲人范围，但AA水平仍然异常低，居住在丹麦的爱斯基摩人也有此发现。在一个小的混血人群体中，AA水平介于纯种印第安人和欧洲人之间。爱斯基摩人和西海岸印第安人血浆中EPA水平高与饮食有关。相比之下，AA水平低可能是由基因决定的。这些人群中不寻常的疾病模式不能完全归因于饮食。
