Into Thinner Air: A Novel Strategy to Improve Clinical Outcomes and Support Weight Loss?

Abstract

Despite well-intentioned health policy and research efforts, the obesity crisis continues to plague modern society. While multiple factors have been implicated, the source of this problem remains hotly debated, and one which is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. According to the World Health Organization, the majority of annual deaths among the populous are attributable to non-communicable chronic diseases (e.g., type 2 diabetes, cancer) [1], known to be intimately linked to excess adiposity and poor cardiorespiratory fitness [2]. It is generally felt that an overabundant caloric load coupled with insufficient physical activity is responsible. To this end, energy restriction and increased physical activity are recommended to support weight loss; however, long-term adherence is difficult and often met with limited success. As many have discovered, feelings of hunger and lethargy commonly arise during dieting which in some cases are exacerbated with concurrent exercise. Excluding surgical techniques, the ideal strategy to promote expeditious weight loss is through the collective influence of appetite suppression and increased energy expenditure. In the absence of disease, appetite suppression and increased energy expenditure are natural, adaptive responses to higher altitude (i.e., hypoxia). As of late, there is a growing interest in the therapeutic utility of exercise in hypoxic conditions for the purpose of improving a variety of clinical outcomes [3-5].