Abstract
Anthropometric measurements and observations of physiological responses to heat were made in the summer on 20 young male residents of the Japan mainland who were born in Okinawa but moved to the mainland within less than three years (group S) and 15 young male migrants of Japanese from Okinawa who had lived in the Japan mainland for more than 10 years (group L). Group L showed a thicker skinfold and greater body fat content than group S. Group L showed a greater sweat loss and higher rise in oral temperature than group S. Heat tolerance of group L was inferior to that of group S when assessed by our numerical index for evaluating human heat tolerance. The inferior heat tolerance of group L might reflect a lower efficiency of sweat for cooling the body and an inferior capacity for non-evaporative heat dissipation when compared with group S. The physiological responses of subtropical natives to heat were lost after longterm residence in the temperate zone.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ADOLPH, E. F. (1946): The initiation of sweating in response to heat. Amer. J. Physiol., 145: 710–715.
BASS, D. E. (1963): Thermoregulatory and circulatory adjustments during acclimation to heat in man, Temperature, Its measurement and control, Reinhold, New York, 3: 229–305.
CHRISTENSEN, W.R. (1947): Long term acclimatization to heat. Amer. J. Physiol., 148: 86–90.
COON, C. S., GARN, S.M. and BIRDSELL, J. B. (1950): Races, A Study of the Problems of Race Formation in Man. Charles C. Thomas, Ill.
DILL, D.B., HALL, F.G. and EDWARDS, H. T. (1938): Changes in composition of sweat during acclimation to heat. Amer. J. Physiol., 123: 412–419.
GLASER, E. M. and WHITTOW, G. C. (1953): Evidence for a non-specific mechanism of habituation. J. Physiol. (Lond.), 122: 43–44P.
HORI, S., INOUYE, A. and IHZUKA, H. (1974a): Indices and sweating patterns for the assessment of heat tolerance. Jap. J. Physiol., 24: 263–275.
HORI, S., IHZUKA, H. and NAKAMURA, M. (1974b): The comparison of skinfold and fat content between residents born and raised in Okinawa and those born and raised in the Main Island of Japan. J. Jap. soc. Food Nutr., 27: 335–339 (in Japanese).
HORI, S., IHZUKA, H. and NAKAMURA, M. (1976): Studies on physiological responses of residents in Okinawa to a hot environment. Jap. J. Physiol., 26: 235–244.
HORI, S., OHNAKA, M., SHIRAKI, K., TSUJITA, J., YOSHIMURA, H., SAITO, N. and PANATA, M. (1977): Comparison of physical characteristics, body temperature and basal metabolism between Thai and Japanese in a neutral temperate zone. Jap. J. Physiol., 27: 525–538.
HORI, S., TSUJITA, J., TANAKA, N. and MAYUZUMI, M. (1978): Studies on heat tolerance of subtropical natives after migration to a temperate zone. Int. J. Biometeor., 22: 82–93.
JOHNSON, R. K. and KARK, R. M. (1947): Environment and food intake in man. Science, 105: 378–379.
KEYS, A. and BROZĚK, J. (1953): Body fat in adult man. Physiol. Rev., 33: 245–325.
KUNO, Y. (1956): Human Perspiration. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Ill.
LEWIS, H. E., MASTERSON, J. P. and ROBINSON, S. (1960): Body weight and skinfold thickness of men on a polar expedition. Clin. Sci., 19: 551–561.
OHARA, K. (1966): Chloride concentration in sweat; Its individual, regional, seasonal and some other variations between them. Jap. J. Physiol., 16: 274–290.
SUZUKI, S., TEZUKA, T., OSHIMA, S., HAYAKAWA, T., SUZUKI, H., YAMAKAWA, K. and NAGAMINE, S. (1959): Nutritional survey on the essential hypertension in Tohoku (east northern) area. Jap. J. Nutr., 17: 209–218 (in Japanese).
WELCH, B. K., BUSKIRK, E.R. and IAMPIETRO, P. F. (1958): Relation of climate and temperature to food and water intake in man. Metabolism, 7: 141–148.
WYNDHAM, C. H., STRYDOM, N.B., MORRISON, J. F., WILLIAMS, C. G., BREDELL, G. A. G., VON RAHDEN, M. J. E., HOLDWORTH, L. D., VAN GRAAN, C. H., VAN RESNBURG, A. J. and MUNRO, A. (1964): Heat reaction of Caucasians and Bantu in Africa. J. appl. Physiol., 19: 598–606.
WILLIAMS, C. G., WYNDHAM, C. H. and MORRISON, J. F. (1967): Rate of loss of acclimatization in summer and winter. J. appl. Physiol., 22: 21–26.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hori, S., Tsujita, J., Mayuzumi, M. et al. Effect of long term residence in the temperate zone on the physique and sweating reaction of subtropical natives. Int J Biometeorol 23, 255–261 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01553776
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01553776