How far would you be willing to go to avoid obesity?

A recent study of U.S. Army and Air Force personnel examined the effect of altitude on weight. The results may surprise you.
The researchers found that active-duty Army and Air Force members who were overweight were less likely to be diagnosed as obese if they were stationed in a high-altitude location. Overweight people assigned to low-altitude locations were 41 percent more likely to become obese than those on higher ground.

The scientists said there’s no clear proof to show why higher altitude is associated with fewer obesity diagnoses. It doesn’t appear to be a matter of personal location preference, though … at least according to this study. Military personnel typically don’t get to choose where they live so it’s not a matter of active people choosing elevated areas because they love to hike, for example.

But one possible explanation stands out: Lower levels of oxygen in the air might help people lose weight or keep it off. Past research offers some support for this idea, as does one facet of the military study’s results.

The researchers found that for people who regularly fly in aircraft, there wasn’t a significant difference in rates of obesity diagnoses based on the altitude where they live.

The scientists say this may be because these people are exposed off and on to reduced oxygen and pressure as they fly.
So would moving from the beach to the mountains help you gain control of your weight? It might, but we can’t say for sure.

If you do live in at a high altitude, don’t count on your location to give you a trim figure. Exercising and eating healthfully are proven weight-loss strategies. And here’s a bonus: They don’t require packing all your belongings into boxes.