The physical characteristics of the members during the International Biomedical Expedition to the Antarctic

Summary

Twelve male medical scientists formed the International Biomedical Expedition to the Antarctic (IBEA). Their physical characteristics and maximum oxygen uptakes (Backward extrapolation of $\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} {\text{max}}}$ values from an O₂-recovery curve) were measured in association with three series of thermal tolerance tests in Sydney, twice before and once after going to the Antarctic. In the Antarctic they lived in tents and spent 15 days travelling by motor toboggan. Their body mass (BM) and skinfold thickness (SFT) were measured four times during the 69 days the expedition spent in the field.

The characteristics of the group were (ranges): age 26–52 years, height 1680–1889 mm, BM 58.5–103.4 kg, fatness 16–34% BM and Backward extrapolation of $\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} {\text{max}}}$ values from an O₂-recovery curve 33–49 ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹.

In the Antarctic 9 men lost between 0.7 and 5.5 kg (mean 2.7 kg) of BM with a decrease in SFT, whilst 2 men increased BM by 1.2 and 1.9 kg without change in SFT. One man retired early from the expedition.

BM and SFT were regained and physical fitness lost during the return voyage to Australia. Consequently there was no difference in average SFT between the pre- and post-Antarctic laboratory tests, but BM was greater after the Antarctic implying gains in fat free mass. Backward extrapolation of $\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} {\text{max}}}$ values from an O₂-recovery curve was lower in the final laboratory tests than in the tests before Antarctica.