Impaired glucose regulation in a Sherpa indigenous population living in the Everest region of Nepal and in Kathmandu Valley

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of impaired glucose regulation status in Sherpa adults living in the Everest area and in Kathmandu valley. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Chaurikharka village (Everest area) and Kathmandu city on 119 and 121 randomly selected individuals, aged 30-70 years. They were assessed on conventional risk factors for diabetes, and an oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Based on the 2003 American Diabetes Association criteria, the prevalence in the Kathmandu city and Everest region of any impaired glucose regulation (IGR), isolated impaired fasting plasma glucose (isolated IFG), isolated impaired glucose tolerance (isolated IGT), and combined isolated IFG and isolated IGT were 55.4% vs. 23.5%, 42.1% vs. 14.3%, 1.7% vs. 0.8%, 11.6 vs. 8.4%, respectively. Using the subjects with normal glucose tolerance as the referent group and after adjusting for age, sex, physical activity, calories, and waist circumference, the odds ratios for isolated IFG and combined isolated IFG and isolated IGT of living in the highland region. were 0.19 (0.08-0.44) and 0.33 (0.09-1.18), respectively. Isolated IFG was more common among the lowland Sherpas. Unlike combined isolated IFG and isolated IGT, this isolated IFG difference could not be explained by the difference of conventional diabetes mellitus risk factors.