High‐altitude adaptations mitigate risk for hypertension and diabetes‐associated anemia

Abstract

Background: Human populations native to high altitude exhibit numerous genetic adaptations to hypobaric hypoxia. Among Tibetan plateau peoples, these include increased vasodilation and uncoupling of erythropoiesis from hypoxia.Objective/Methods: We tested the hypothesis that these high-altitude adaptations reduce risk for hypertension and diabetes-associated anemia among the Mosuo, a Tibetan-descended population in the mountains of Southwest China that is experiencing rapid economic change and increased chronic disease risk.Results: Hypertension was substantially less common among Mosuo than lowaltitude Han populations, and models fit to the Han predicted higher probability of hypertension than models fit to the Mosuo. Diabetes was positively associated with anemia among the Han, but not the Mosuo. Conclusion:The Mosuo have lower risk for hypertension and diabetes-associated anemia than the Han, supporting the hypothesis that high-altitude adaptations affecting blood and circulation intersect with chronic disease processes to lower risk for these outcomes. As chronic diseases continue to grow as global health concerns, it is important to investigate how they may be affected by local genetic adaptations. K E Y W O R D Sanemia, diabetes, erythropoiesis, high-altitude adaptation, hypertension

Differences in the prevalence of physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors between people living at low (<1,001 m) compared to moderate (1,001–2,000 m) altitude

“…Moderate altitude affects health by complex interactions between lifestyle factors (e.g., physical activity as discussed above; nutrition, etc. ), genetic factors [20] socioeconomic and in particular environmental (climatic, pollution, etc.) conditions.…”

Does gender structure social networks across domains of cooperation? An exploration of gendered networks among matrilineal and patrilineal Mosuo

“…The Mosuo are an ethnic minority population of Tibetan-descended high-altitude [46] agriculturalists residing in the Hengduan Mountains on the border of Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces in Southwest China [42,47]. They consist of two subpopulations, one matrilineal and one patrilineal, that share language, identity, and numerous customs, but differ substantially in norms and institutions surrounding kinship, as well as in certain aspects of subsistence [43,48,49].…”

Which measures matter? A behavioral ecology view of “market integration” among the matrilineal Mosuo of Southwest China

“…Finally, distance to lake did not predict SBP, which was surprising because tourism is undoubtedly a source of MI for the Mosuo. Instead, smaller households and higher levels of education were the primary MI-related variables associated with higher SBP, suggesting that dietary change and physical activity levels, in the case of the Mosuo, are not the only pathway by which MI affects health or that SBP may not respond to MI similarly among the Mosuo (Wander et al 2020). It is also possible that publication biases (Smaldino and McElreath 2016) have led us to overestimate the impacts of these specific predictors on health outcomes in formulating our predictions.…”

“…As highly-processed market foods supplant traditional foods (low in sugar, higher in fiber, and produced at greater physical effort), metabolic dysfunction and chronic disease result (e.g., Blackwell et al 2009;Wells 2014). Novel psychosocial stresses associated with culture change, interaction with 'modernized' cultures, increased status competition, and inequality are likely to increase stress-related chronic disease, including hypertension (McDade and Nyberg 2010; see also Wander et al 2020).…”