Malnutrition and excess mortality in Shangri-La

Populations living at high altitude in the Tibetan highlands suffer extraordinarily high rates of maternal mortality, infant and juvenile mortality, and infectious morbidity. Poverty and living condition, more than altitude, contribute to the adverse statistics. The traditional nomadic herders are the most affected among the residents. The question remains whether contemporary standards of adequate health and nutrition are compatible with the integral folkways of traditional tribal groups.