Abstract
Anthropometric measurements, measurements of skin temperatures, rectal temperature, heart rate and metabolic rate at 30‡C were made on 25 young male residents of Okinawa who were born and raised in Okinawa (group O) and 25 young male residents of Okinawa who were born and raised on the Japan mainland but moved to Okinawa less than 2 years before the test (group M) in summer. Group O showed significantly shorter height, lighter body weight, and slender body shape than group M. Group O showed thinner skinfold thickness and smaller percentage of body fat content than group M. Skin temperatures for group O were higher than those for group M, and rectal temperature for group O was slightly lower than that for group M. Group O showed, less metabolic rate per body surface area and slower heart rate than group M. It is concluded that physical characteristics of subtropical natives is favorable for heat dissipation, and subtropical natives have superior capacity for non-evaporative heat dissipation than migrants of temperate natives to a subtropical zone.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
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. and HENSCHEL, A. (1956): Responses of body fluid compartments to heat and cold. Physiol. Rev., 36: 128–144.
BURTON, A. C. and BAZETT, H. C. (1936): A study of the average temperature of the tissues of the exchanges of heat and vasomotor responses in man by means of a bath calorimeter. Amer. J. Physiol., 117: 36–54.
COON, C. S., GARN, S. M. and BIRDSELL, J. B. (1950): A Study of the Problems of Race Formation in Man, Charles Thomas, Springfield, Illinois.
HORI, S., IHZUKA, H. and NAKAMURA, M. (1974): The comparison of skinfold and fat content between residents born and raised in Okinawa and those born and raised on the Mainland of Japan. J. Jpn. 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. Jpn. J. Physiol., 26: 235–244.
HORI, S., TSUJITA, J. and YOSHIMURA, H. (1977): A certain consideration of methods for evaluation of physical characteristics with special reference to physical characteristics of athletes. J. Jpn. Soc. Food Nutr., 30: 79–85 (in Japanese).
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 temperature zone. Jpn. J. Physiol., 27: 525–538.
JOHNSON, R. K. and KARK, R. M. (1947): Environment and food intake in man. Science, 105: 378–379.
OGATA, K. and SASAKI, T. (1975): Regional differences in the cold adaptability of the Japanese. In: Physiological Adaptability and Nutritional Status of the Japanese. Chapt. 2, Part I, in JIBP Synthesis volume 3, ed. by Yoshimura, H. and Kobayashi, S., Tokyo Univ. Press, Tokyo.
PROSSER, C. L. (1964): Perspectives of adaptation; theoretical aspects. In: Adaptation to Environment, Handbook of Physiol., Sect. 4, Amer. Physiol. Soc., Washington, D.C. pp. 11–25.
SENAY, L. C., Jr. (1972): Changes in plasma volume and protein content during exposures of working men to various temperatures before and after acclimatization to heat: Separation of the roles of cutaneous and skeletal muscle circulation. J. Physiol., 224: 61–81.
YOSHIMURA, H. (1960): Acclimatization to heat and cold. In: Essential Problem in Climatic Physiology, ed. by Yoshimura, H., Ogata, K. and Ito, S., Nankodo, Kyoto. pp. 61–106.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hori, S., Ihzuka, H. Comparison of physical characteristics, body temperature and resting metabolic rate at 30‡C between subtropical and temperate natives. Int J Biometeorol 30, 115–122 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02189451
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02189451