EFFECT OF ALTITUDE ON BODY-COMPOSITION DURING MOUNTAINEERING EXPEDITIONS - INTERRELATIONSHIPS WITH CHANGES IN DIETARY HABITS

Loss of body weight occurs during high mountain expeditions but whethe r it is due to inadequate diet or other factors is unknown. Moreover t he composition of the weight loss is unclear. The aim of our study was to compare the nutritional, anthropometric and metabolic changes duri ng a mountaineering expedition in two groups of climbers, whose dietar y energy intake was ad libitum, one given a lacto-fish-ovo-vegetarian diet and one an omnivorous diet. The intake of various nutrients, body weight, body composition and metabolic variables were evaluated befor e and during high altitude exposure and after the return to low altitu de. The two groups were matched for age, body mass index and gender. N o significant differences were found for nutritional variables between the two groups. Energy, animal and vegetable protein and fiber intake were significantly lower at climbing quote than before the beginning of the expedition. Significant differences between before the beginnin g and base camp in all variables were found. Energy and animal protein intake, but not vegetable protein and Fiber intake, were significantl y lower at climbing quote than at base camp. All subjects significantl y reduced body weight, body mass index, waist and hip circumferences b ut not fat-free mass and fat mass. Metabolic variables significantly i mproved after the mountaineering expedition. Our study seems to confir m that a mountaineering expedition decreases energy and protein intake , reduces body weight and improves metabolic variables. Because our su bjects spontaneously tended to have the same food intake despite the d ifferent dietary recommendations, our study failed to observe any diff erences between the two groups. However, our study shows that a low pr otein diet, in which the type of protein is mostly vegetable protein, could be adapted for climbers determining only a small decrease of fat -free mass.