Smoking may be the main reason why heart disease is on the rise among Alaskan Inuit, according to a scientific article published in the U.S. this month.

In an article published July 10 in the online version of the journal Stroke, researchers say a recent increase in cardiovascular disease in Alaskan Inuit is "possibly attributable to higher rates of smoking."

Led by Dr. Mary Roman, a professor of medicine at Cornell University, the study team looked at arteries on each side of the neck that transport blood up to the brain.

Roman told CBC News that those arteries can develop fatty deposits, also known as plaques. Plaques in the neck arteries can indicate if there's also plaque building up in the arteries to the heart — which can lead to a heart attack.

Roman said the plaques in neck arteries among the Alaskan Inuit surveyed were several times higher than those in the rest of the United States.

"There are very high rates of smoking among the Alaska Eskimos that we've studied, and that high rate of smoking seems to be the most important factor in causing these fatty build-up or plaques or atherosclerosis in the neck arteries," Roman said Monday.

Roman said a poor diet with more processed foods than traditional foods does not help matters, as traditional foods have many health benefits.

She advised Inuit who want to avoid health problems to stop smoking, eat well and exercise.