Food and nutritional intake at high altitude

Individuals who ascend to altitude too rapidly invariably develop acute mountain sickness (AMS) although a high carbohydrate diet may lessen these symptoms. Specific questions addressed in this study were: changes in diet prior to sojourning at altitude; changes in food consumption/nutritional intake, food acceptability, flavour and taste intensities. Nineteen subjects assembled for three days at sea level for baseline measurements consuming a diet of dehydrated rations. This regimen was repeated 18 days later in the Bolivian Andes at approximately 5,600m once subjects were acclimatised. Results confirm a common phenomenon; a reduced dietary intake and body weight loss at high altitude. Other results, flavour and taste intensities and overall food acceptability indicate the suitability of these foods in both environments. © 1998, MCB UP Limited