Altitude-related differences in lipid profiles and nutritional status among children in Jujuy Province, Argentina

Objectives: To analyze variation in lipid profiles among children aged 8-13 years at two altitudinal levels, adjusting for age and sex, and to characterize these profiles according to nutritional status. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 395 children aged 813 years between 2011 and 2015. Participants were grouped by age and altitude. Lipid components triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL, and LDL were classified according to international and national guidelines. Nutritional status was assessed using BMI. Multiple linear regression models evaluated associations between lipid levels and age, sex, BMI and altitude. Results: Mean lipid levels were similar across age groups. Most children showed acceptable TC, LDL, and HDL levels, whereas TG levels were frequently borderline or elevated, particularly at high altitude, where over half of participants presented elevated TG; this pattern was nearly absent in lowlands. Normal weight predominated among younger children, while excess weight was more frequent in older groups. TG levels varied little across BMI categories but remained consistently higher at high altitude. Age was positively associated with TC and LDL and inversely with TG and TG/HDL ratio. Boys showed lower TC and LDL but higher TG and TG/HDL ratios than girls. Altitude showed the strongest association. Discussion: Children at high altitude in Jujuy show a distinctive lipid profile: lower total and LDL cholesterol, higher HDL, and elevated triglycerides. This pattern reflects hypoxia-related and environmental influences, differing from lowland risk profiles, and highlights altitude as a key determinant of metabolic health requiring broader clinical assessment.