INTRODUCTION: Bodyweight loss during spaceflight has been observed among astronauts since the early space missions. Considerable mission data has been accumulated, including data from female astronauts, on the many Shuttle and International Space Station missions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between observed weight loss during spaceflight and potential covariate factors. METHODS: We performed a statistical analysis of the association between bodyweight change and plausible clinical and mission covariates, using data obtained from the NASA Longitudinal Study of Astronaut Health (LSAH). RESULTS: We confirmed that spaceflight is associated with weight change (-2.1 +/- 0.1%, N = 514). Prospective predictors of weight loss included: being a first-time astronaut, preflight bodyweight and BMI, routinely performing preflight exercise sessions lasting greater than 1 h, and baseline levels of cholesterol, potassium, and chloride. Severe space motion sickness was significantly associated with greater weight loss. Unexpectedly, a higher number of extravehicular activities per mission protected against weight loss. Mission duration had the strongest association with bodyweight change (-2.4 +/- 0.4% per 100 d in space). DISCUSSION: On average, space missions are associated with cumulative loss of bodyweight over time. Unless effective countermeasures are implemented, significant weight loss will be a likely outcome in a subset of astronauts as mission durations increase. New predictors of intra-mission bodyweight changes and other associated factors are identified.
INTRODUCTION:Bodyweight loss during spaceflight has been observed among astronauts since the early space missions. Considerable mission data has been accumulated, including data from female astronauts, on the many Shuttle and International Space Station missions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between observed weight loss during spaceflight and potential covariate factors. METHODS: We performed a statistical analysis of the association between bodyweight change and plausible clinical and mission covariates, using data obtained from the NASA Longitudinal Study of Astronaut Health (LSAH). RESULTS: We confirmed that spaceflight is associated with weight change (-2.1 +/- 0.1%, N = 514). Prospective predictors of weight loss included: being a first-time astronaut, preflight bodyweight and BMI, routinely performing preflight exercise sessions lasting greater than 1 h, and baseline levels of cholesterol, potassium, and chloride. Severe space motion sickness was significantly associated with greater weight loss. Unexpectedly, a higher number of extravehicular activities per mission protected against weight loss. Mission duration had the strongest association with bodyweight change (-2.4 +/- 0.4% per 100 d in space). DISCUSSION: On average, space missions are associated with cumulative loss of bodyweight over time. Unless effective countermeasures are implemented, significant weight loss will be a likely outcome in a subset of astronauts as mission durations increase. New predictors of intra-mission bodyweight changes and other associated factors are identified.
Authors: Shane A Lloyd; Charles H Lang; Yue Zhang; Emmanuel M Paul; Lacee J Laufenberg; Gregory S Lewis; Henry J Donahue Journal: J Bone Miner Res Date: 2014 Impact factor: 6.741
Authors: Nandu Goswami; Jerry J Batzel; Gilles Clément; T Peter Stein; Alan R Hargens; M Keith Sharp; Andrew P Blaber; Peter G Roma; Helmut G Hinghofer-Szalkay Journal: Eur J Appl Physiol Date: 2012-10-17 Impact factor: 3.078
Authors: Nora Petersen; Patrick Jaekel; Andre Rosenberger; Tobias Weber; Jonathan Scott; Filippo Castrucci; Gunda Lambrecht; Lori Ploutz-Snyder; Volker Damann; Inessa Kozlovskaya; Joachim Mester Journal: Extrem Physiol Med Date: 2016-08-02
Authors: Grant W Ralston; Lon Kilgore; Frank B Wyatt; Frédéric Dutheil; Patrick Jaekel; Duncan S Buchan; Julien S Baker Journal: Front Physiol Date: 2019-07-24 Impact factor: 4.566
Authors: Ratan Sadhukhan; Debajyoti Majumdar; Sarita Garg; Reid D Landes; Victoria McHargue; Snehalata A Pawar; Parimal Chowdhury; Robert J Griffin; Ganesh Narayanasamy; Marjan Boerma; Maxim Dobretsov; Martin Hauer-Jensen; Rupak Pathak Journal: Life Sci Space Res (Amst) Date: 2020-09-29