Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31057421›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in physiology2019

Body Composition and Body Weight Changes at Different Altitude Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Tobias Dünnwald, Hannes Gatterer, Martin Faulhaber, Marjan Arvandi, Wolfgang Schobersberger

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in physiology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 70 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
70citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

70 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Trial
  8. Trial
  9. Trial
  10. Trial
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Effects of acute severe hypobaric hypoxia on gut-muscle axis in rats.Journal of physiology and biochemistry · 2026
    Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Exploring the genetic footprints of high altitude adapted humans and livestock.Mammalian genome : official journal of the International Mammalian Genome Society · 2025
    Review
  20. Review

10 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Tobias DünnwaldInstitute for Sports Medicine, Alpine Medicine & Health Tourism, UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tirol, Austria.
Hannes GattererInstitute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, EURAC Research, Bolzano, Italy.
Martin FaulhaberDepartment of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Marjan ArvandiInstitute of Public Health, Medical Decision Making and HTA, Department for Public Health, Medical Decision Making and Health Technology Assessment, UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tirol, Austria.
Wolfgang SchobersbergerInstitute for Sports Medicine, Alpine Medicine & Health Tourism, UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tirol, Austria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Changes in body composition and weight loss frequently occur when humans are exposed to hypoxic environments. The mechanisms thought to be responsible for these changes are increased energy expenditure resulting from increased basal metabolic rate and/or high levels of physical activity, inadequate energy intake, fluid loss as well as gastrointestinal malabsorption. The severity of hypoxia, the duration of exposure as well as the level of physical activity also seem to play crucial roles in the final outcome. On one hand, excessive weight loss in mountaineers exercising at high altitudes may affect performance and climbing success. On the other, hypoxic conditioning is presumed to have an important therapeutic potential in weight management programs in overweight/obese people, especially in combination with exercise. In this regard, it is important to define the hypoxia effect on both body composition and weight change. The purpose of this study is to define, through the use of meta-analysis, the extent of bodyweight -and body composition changes within the three internationally classified altitude levels (moderate altitude: 1500-3500 m; high altitude: 3500-5300 m; extreme altitude: >5300 m), with emphasis on physical activity, nutrition, duration of stay and type of exposure.

Indexed as

body compositionexercisehigh altitudehypoxianutritionweight loss

Identifiers

PMID31057421
PMCPMC6477059

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.