Predicted maximal oxygen consumption of indigenous Siberians

Area of Science:

• Human Physiology
• Anthropology
• Indigenous Health

Background:

• Understanding the physical fitness of indigenous populations is crucial for health monitoring.
• Acculturation can impact the health and fitness of traditional communities.
• Baseline data on cardiorespiratory fitness for Siberian indigenous groups are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish baseline physical fitness data for the Evenki and Keto indigenous Siberian populations.
• To estimate maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O₂ max) using the Canadian Aerobic Test of Fitness (CATF).
• To compare the cardiorespiratory fitness of these Siberian groups with Canadian norms.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Canadian Aerobic Test of Fitness (CATF) on 44 subjects (30 males, 14 females) from Evenki and Keto populations.
• Measured maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O₂ max) as the primary indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness.
• Compared V̇O₂ max values against established Canadian population norms across different age groups.

Main Results:

• Average V̇O₂ max estimates were 46.2 ml kg^-1 min^-1 for males and 33.9 ml kg^-1 min^-1 for females.
• These values align with previously reported data for other cold-adapted, semisubsistence populations.
• Siberian groups showed lower V̇O₂ max than Canadian norms in the 15-19 age range, but tracked at the 50th percentile in adulthood.

Conclusions:

• The cardiorespiratory fitness of adult Evenki and Keto individuals is functionally comparable to the average adult Canadian.
• This suggests that while acculturation may influence fitness, adult indigenous Siberian populations maintain a comparable cardiorespiratory capacity.
• The findings provide essential baseline data for future longitudinal studies on fitness changes and health in these populations.