Living at high altitude may help ward off obesity
Children seem to be less likely to be obese if they live at high altitude, which may be due to its effect on metabolism and appetite
By Michael Marshall
14 August 2025
Scientists looked at obesity rates among children throughout Colombia, including the hilly region of the capital Bogotá
Guillermo Legaria/Getty Images
Living at high altitude could protect against obesity, according to a study of more than 4 million children across Colombia.
The finding fits with existing evidence that high altitudes help ward off the condition, perhaps because our bodies burn more energy when exposed to lower levels of oxygen. However, most of the research has been on adults.
Read more
Beyond Wegovy: Could the next wave of weight-loss drugs end obesity?
To understand the potential impact on children, Fernando Lizcano Losada at the University of La Sabana in Chía, Colombia, and his colleagues analysed data on 4.16 million children aged up to 5 years old from 1123 municipalities, compiled by the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare.
The children were separated into four groups relating to the height above sea level at which they lived: up to 1000 metres, 1001 to 2000 metres, 2001 to 3000 metres or above 3000 metres.
In the two lower-altitude regions, around 80 out of every 10,000 children had obesity. However, at altitudes of 2001 to 3000 metres, the prevalence fell to 40 in 10,000.
