Relation of waist circumference and glycemic status to C-reactive protein in the Sandy Lake Oji-Cree

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) in the Sandy Lake Oji-Cree, an aboriginal community residing in the Sioux Lookout zone of Northwestern Ontario, Canada, and to determine the associations of obesity and diabetes with CRP in a community with a very high prevalence of type II diabetes. DESIGN: We surveyed 512 community members aged 18 y and older to determine the prevalence and the determinants of elevated CRP in Sandy Lake. MEASUREMENTS:Clinical variables, indices of obesity and serum concentrations of CRP, insulin, serum amyloid A (SAA) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). RESULTS: The prevalence of CRP 3.8 mg/l was significantly higher in women than in men (51% vs. 32%, P