If you're having trouble losing weight, why not try living in the mountains? That is the conclusion of German researchers who found that people who live at high altitude find it easier to lose weight and keep it off.
Researchers from Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich tested 20 men who had an average body mass index (BMI) of 34 in an air-conditioned lab at the top of Germany's highest mountain, Zugspitze. A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
The researchers found that the men were able to lose weight and keep it off for at least a month after the experiment because of the thinner air at higher altitudes, the UK's Daily Telegraph reported.
With no other lifestyle changes (the men maintained their former diets and exercise regimes) the conditions appeared to increase metabolism, decrease appetite and lower blood-pressure levels.
The researchers suggested that the lower levels of oxygen at high altitude could have been responsible for an increase in leptin, a hormone responsible for suppressing appetite. Thin air is not nearly as oxygen-rich as the dense, more heavily compressed air found at sea level.
"The lasting weight reduction seen at high altitudes is primarily due to an increased metabolism and decreased food intake, though the reasons behind these changes remain unclear and may be a temporary effect of the body acclimatising to new surroundings," Dr Florian Lippl from the research team said.
"Obesity and associated disorders are a growing problem in many Western societies, and effective treatments remain elusive.
"It is known that spending time at high altitudes results in weight loss; however, the reason for this is unclear. The clarification of mechanisms leading to weight loss at high altitudes might provide new tools for treating obesity in the future."
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