Table 4.

Summary of findings for NHT versus control in obese adults

Outcome and follow-up	Patients (studies), N	Absolute effects (95% CI)	Certainty	What happens
		Difference
BMI	170 (7 RCTs)	0.34 (−0.16 to 0.85)	⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderatea,b	NHT likely results in little to no difference in BMI.NHT probably results in little to no difference in BMI.
Body Fat Percentage	121 (5 RCTs)	0.21 (−3 to 3.41)	⨁◯◯◯ Very lowa,c,d,e	The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of NHT on Body Fat Percentage.
Body Weight	125 (5 RCTs)	0.12 (−1.99 to 2.22)	⨁⨁◯◯ Lowa,f	NHT may result in little to no difference in Body Weight.
Fat Mass	114 (5 RCTs)	1.1 (0.24 to 1.95)	⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderatea,g	NHT likely increases Fat Mass slightly.
Waist Circumference	114 (4 RCTs)	−1.26 (−9.38 to 6.87)	⨁⨁◯◯ Lowa,h	The evidence suggests that NHT results in little to no difference in Waist Circumference.

CI Confidence interval, MD Mean difference

^aSome concerns across majority of studies due to inability to blind participants to hypoxic intervention

^bCI approaches clinical threshold but remains non-significant; moderate sample (n=170)

^cI²=71%, substantial heterogeneity, p=0.001

^dMixed measurement methods (DXA, BIA, skinfolds) with different accuracy profiles

^eVery wide CI (−3.00 to 3.41) crosses both clinical thresholds; small sample

^fWide CI crosses null and includes both benefit and harm; small sample size (n=125)

^gMixed measurement methods

^hExtremely wide CI (−9.38 to 6.87) crosses null AND both clinical decision thresholds; very small sample (n=114)