Table 1C.
Changes in body weight and body composition during extreme altitude.
| Authors | Participants M/F, Age [years] |
Type of exposure |
Diet manipulation |
Altitude level [m] |
Duration [days] |
Body weight [Δkg (Δ% of BW)] |
Body composition [Δkg (Δ%)] |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passive | Active | Yes/No | FFM | FM | MM | TBW | |||||
| Extreme altitude | |||||||||||
| Levett et al. (2012)∗ | G2 (climber) 11 M, 1 F 38.0 ± 4.9 yrs |
Ascents | No | up to 6400-8848 | 66 | –9.6 (-11.7) | |||||
| Mizuno et al. (2008)∗ | 15 M 25-45 yrs G2: N = 8 |
Group 2: climbing/ ascents |
No | 5250 up to 6400-7500# | 75 | –5.4 (-7.1) | |||||
| Benso et al. (2007) | 9 M 40.2 ± 1.4 yrs |
Expedition, (step by step acclimatization program) | No | 5 M:5200-8852 3 M:5200-8600 1 M:5200-7500 |
49 | –5.0 (-7.0) | |||||
| Reynolds et al. (1999) | 6 M, 1 F 37 ± 6 yrs |
Expedition | No | 5300-8848 | 63 | –7.5 (-9.5) | –4 (-39.6) | 1.3 (4.0) | |||
| Westerterp-Plantenga et al. (1999)∗ | 8 M 26.0 ± 2 yrs |
Stay at simulated altitude | No (ad libitum) |
6000 7000 8000 |
d9-d12 d15-d19 d26-d28 |
–2.8 (-3.8) –3.6 (-4.8) –4.7 (-6.3) |
|||||
| Pulfrey and Jones (1996) | 5 M, 1 F 27 ± 6 yrs |
Shisha Pangma expedition | No | 5900 to 8046 | 7 | – 3.7 (na) | – 1.9 (na) | – 0.9 (na) | |||
| Zamboni et al. (1996) | 10 M, 2 W G1:5 M, 1 F (LOV) 41.2 ± 10.4 yrs G2: 5 M, 1 F (control) 35.7 ± 8,9 yrs |
Expedition, ascents |
Yes (G1:lacto-fish-ovo-vegetarian diet (LOV), G2: ad libitum) |
4500-7546 ∼15 d > 5500 |
16; G1: 16; G2: |
–3.8 (-5.2) –3.2 (-4.8) |
–0.8 (-1.4) ns –1.4 (-2.6) ns |
–3.1 (-19.3) ns –1.8 (-13.8) ns |
|||
| Savourey et al. (1994)∗ | 6 M, 1 F 35.0 ± 1.7 yrs |
Expedition | 5200 up to 8400 | 21 | –1.5 (-2.2) ns | +0.2 (+0.02) ns | |||||
| Westerterp et al. (1994) | 6 M, 4 F 35 ± 6 yrs |
Stay at natural altitude (low activity level: melting snow, reading, fixing tents) |
No | Stay at 6542 (5 d at 3600, 13 d ascent from 3600 to 6542) | 21 | –4.9 (-2.0) | –1.3 (na) ns | –3.5 (-25.7) | |||
| Westerterp et al. (1992) | 3 M, 2 F 31-42 yrs |
Expedition | No | 5300-8872 | 8 | –2.2 (-4.0) | –0.8 (na) | +1.4 (na) | |||
| Hoppeler et al. (1990) | 14 M 34.9 ± 7.1 yrs |
Expedition | No | stay 5200-5350 ascents up to 8000 |
56-70 d | –2.9 (-4.0) | |||||
| Rose et al. (1988) | 6 M 28 ± 2 yrs |
stay (Simulated altitude) |
No (ad libitum diet) |
0 to 8848 | 40 | –7.4 (-8.9) | –5.0 (-7.2) | –2.5 (-17.6) | |||
∗study displayed in high and extreme altitude table; studies presented in square brackets are not included in the meta-analysis due to missing data. M, male; F, female; yrs, years (mean ± SD or min-max); d, days; ns, non-significant; na, no data available; G, groups (only relevant groups from the individual studies are shown); Δkg, mean changes in BW, FFM, FM, MM and TBW before and after data collection or mean changes for a defined period; Δ%, mean change in percent compared to baseline or to defined period; BW, bodyweight; FFM, fat free mass; FM, fat mass; MM, muscle mass; TBW, total body water; G, study groups; BMR basal metabolic rate.