The maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) and related cardiorespiratory parameters were determined on 67 Bengalee (Indian) girl athletes having nine different sports activities. VO2max was determined with a bicycle ergometer. The highest value for VO2maxl.min-1 was obtained by javelin throwers (1.95), being followed by pentathletes (1.92) and long-distance runners (1.90), whereas the lowest value was achieved by handballers (1.45). When VO2max was expressed in ml.kg-1.min-1, the long-distance runners registered the highest mean value (43.0), which was significantly higher than that of basketballers (34.9), handball players (36.2), badminton players (34.4), and swimmers (36.0). For this measurement, the sprinters (40.0), pentathletes (40.3), javelin throwers (40.0), and jumpers (39.4) did not differ significantly with each other, but each of the groups was significantly superior to basketballers, handballers, badminton players, and swimmers. No significant difference was also found amongst the latter groups. VO2maxl.min-1 was found to be significantly correlated with all the physical characteristics. It was predicted on the basis of age, height, weight, and body surface area using stepwise regression method.

Three hundred thirty-four healthy male non-smokers and 300 healthy male smokers of the age range 20-60 years were investigated for their spirometric lung functions by the method and technique recommended by American Thoracic Society. It was found that FVC, FEV1, FEV1%, FEF200-1, 200, FEF25-75%, FEF75-85%, MVV, and PEFR were significantly lower in smokers. When the subjects were blocked into several half decades these differences persisted. These functions deteriorated with age both in smokers and non-smokers, but in the former group the functions were reduced to a greater extent. Significant negative correlation was obtained between lung functions and smoking histories. Separate multiple regression equations were developed separately for non-smokers and smokers. The sensitivity of the tests was determined. The FEF25-75% and FEV1 were found to be most sensitive in detecting early airway obstruction. When comparison of lung function wasmade among American, European, Jordanian, Negro, and Pakistani subjects, it was found that the former three groups are superior to the remaining. Negroes and Pakistanis are comparable to Indians in respect to their lung function. These differences in these functions between the nations of developed countries and the underdeveloped or developing countries might be attributable to the differences in their life-style, physical activity status, nutritional status, environmental condition, and race and ethnicity. The spirometric functions of Indians in the Eastern region of India are comparable to North-West Indians and superior to Southern Indians.

Arterial blood pressure, heart rate and electrocardiogram were recorded in the supine posture after sudden standing and at 2 min-intervals over a period of 20 min in the standing posture in 31 healthy male and 32 healthy female subjects within the age range of 20 to 30 years

Eighty-four healthy asymptomatic sedentary smokers and 92 healthy sedentary non-smokers of the age range 20-59 years were investigated for their maximum oxygen uptake capacity (VO2max) and related cardiorespiratory parameters at the level of maximal exercise by bicycle ergometry. The subjects were blocked into four age decades of 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50-59 years to show the effect of smoking on VO2max of smokes of different age groups. The physical characteristics of smokers and non-smokers of comparable age groups did not show any significant difference. The smokers of each subsequent age group consumed 5.9 +/- 4.1, 6.3 +/- 5.7, 12.7 +/- 7.1, and 11.5 +/- 9.1 pack years of cigarettes, respectively (pack year = number of packets of cigarettes per day X number of years of smoking). VO2max of smokers (38.9 +/- 4.6 ml.kg-1.min-1) was significantly lower (p less than 0.05) than that of nonsmokers (42.1 +/- 3.2 ml.kg-1.min-1) only in the young age group of 20-29 years. VO2max expressed in per kg of the body weight (VO2max/BW) was found to be significantly (p less than 0.01) and negatively correlated with number of cigarettes smoked per day (-0.36, p less than 0.01), number of years through which smoked (-0.38, p less than 0.01), and pack years (-0.42, p less than 0.01). In other age groups, though non-smokers predominated over smokers in VO2max, the differences were not statistically significant. Also, in these age groups, smoking histories failed to reveal any significant correlation with VO2max. This suggests that smoking impairs VO2max only in the young ages. By increasing age, VO2max was diminished by 13% from 20 to 59 years in non-smokers and 15.5% from 20 to 59 years in smokers. Age also diminished HRmax and VEmax of smokers in the same manner as in the case of non-smokers. The VO2max of Indian sedentary non-smokers was found to be lower than those of Caucasians, Kurds, Yemenites, Europeans, and Africans. Values reported on Asians were found to be comparable with those of the present study.