The relationship of diet to airsickness

This descriptive, correlational study examined meal frequencies and dietary intakes as they related to airsickness in a population of novice civilian pilots. Food and nutrient intakes and dietary patterns of pilots prior to flight were measured for association with airsickness. A 24-h dietary recall was used in recording dietary intake and meal frequencies during a typical flight day. Correlation analysis was used to determine relationships between dietary intake and airsickness. Of the female pilots, 75% experienced airsickness; and 24% of the male pilots experienced it. Female pilots' mean 24 h dietary intakes of vitamins A, C, and iron were low. The findings indicate eating high sodium foods (r = 0.33, p = 0.02) such as preserved meats, corn chips and potato chips, and eating foods high in thiamin (r = 0.35, p = 0.01) like pork, beef, eggs, or fish correlated significantly with increased airsickness. Consumption of foods high in protein such as milk products, cheeses and preserved meat by the males correlated significantly (r = 0.28, p = 0.05) with increased airsickness. The frequency of meals eaten during the day also correlated with increased airsickness. Of the airsick pilots, 75% consumed three or more meals in the previous 24 h, as compared to 41% of the nonairsick pilots. Higher density foods (more kilocalories) also increased the airsickness occurrences of both the male and female pilots.