ALTITUDE AND GROWTH AMONG THE SHERPAS OF THE EASTERN HIMALAYAS

The results of the anthropometric survey of Sherpa children of both sexes (n = 478) from high‐ and low‐altitude areas in the eastern Himalayas are presented. The study reveals that growth is slower both more prolonged in the high‐altitude Sherpas compared with growth at low altitude and that Sherpa children are the smallest of all the high‐altitude populations considered here. Sexual dimorphism is not well defined during the earlier age periods. Our skinfold thickness data from the low‐altitude Sherpas corroborate the centripetal distribution of fat found elsewhere. Copyright © 1991 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company