Acculturation and the growth of lung function: three cross-sectional surveys of an Inuit community.
The influence of acculturation to a sedentary lifestyle upon the growth and development of lung volumes has been studied in Inuit children aged 9-19 years. Surveys were conducted in the circumpolar community of Igloolik (69 degrees 40'N, 81 degrees W) in 1969/70, 1979/80 and 1989/90. Over this period, the children showed little change of height or body mass at any given age, but a progressive loss of what initially had been a high level of health-related fitness. The sample for each survey comprised about 70% of children in the chosen age range: in the most recent study 87 males and 65 females. Respiratory data included forced vital capacity, one-second forced expiratory volume, maximal mid-expiratory flow rate (second and third surveys only), smoking habits and respiratory health. In each of the 3 surveys, many of the older children in the community were regular smokers. The average cigarette consumption currently rises progressively to 13 +/- 8 cigarettes/day in 87% of males and 11 +/- 7 cigarettes/day in 95% of females over 17 years of age. Nevertheless, lung volumes show the anticipated increase as a logarithmic function of stature. Furthermore, statistically fitted curves show only minor inter-survey differences in volumes for a given standing height. We thus conclude that the deterioration in other aspects of health-related fitness has not yet influenced the growth and development of respiratory function within this Inuit population.
School of Physical and Health Education, University of Toronto, Ont., Canada.
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Rode
R J
RJ
Shephard
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001827:Body Height; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D004930:Inuit; D008168:Lung / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008450:Maximal Midexpiratory Flow Rate / Q000502:physiology; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology; D013008:Somatotypes; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology