Background. The study of regional peculiarities of health formation in children living in a certain area is of practical importance for the health care. One of such minority ethnic group is Tofalars, living in the highlands. Objectives. Clinical and biochemical examination of children and adolescents, representatives of small ethnic group - Tofalars and Russians permanently residing in the territory of Tofalariya (Irkutsk region) performed. \nMethods. Tofalariya 228 children and adolescents (122 Tofalars and 106 Russians) from 2 to 17 years old carried out a thorough medical examination. Biochemical parameters analysis performed in 73 healthy children and adolescents Tofalars. Spectrophotometric, fluorometric, statistic methods were applied. For categoric variables characteristics groups were compared using the chi square and Fisher\'s exact tests, whilst the U Mann–Whitney test was used for numeric variables. \nResults. \n\nTofalars children and adolescents had significantly high incidence of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diseases (χ2=4.375; p=0.036), as well as diseases of the endocrine system, nutritional and metabolic syndrome (χ2=4.414; p=0.036) comparing to Russians. Diseases of the genitourinary system were less common in Tofalar than in Russians (χ2=4.873; p=0.027). In Tofalars adolescent girls compared to Russians showed significant differences in the level of total cholesterol (1.3 times lower; p<0.0001), the primary lipid peroxidation products - CDs (1.5 times higher; p<0.001), the content of fat-soluble vitamins α-tocopherol (1.28 times higher; p=0.023) and retinol (1.34 times higher; p=0.042). Reduced level of cortisol (1.93 times lower; p <0.0001) and elevated levels of TSH (1.64 times higher; p<0.0001) in Tofalar female adolescents compared with Russians one registered. In Tofalars adolescent boys lower levels of total cholesterol (1.1 times; p=0.037), increased levels of α-tocopherol (in 1.67 times higher; p<0.001) and retinol (1.54 times higher; p<0.001) revealed compared to Russians boys. In addition, in this boys group elevated levels of cortisol (1.34-fold; p=0.047) registered. \nConclusion. Data obtained lead to suggestion to provide more intensive monitoring of the health status of Tofalariya adolescents with profound attention to the ethnic factor and thus recommend regional authorities to elaborate ethnic-specific measures for disease prevention in this unique area.

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