Browsing by Autor "Philippe Obert"

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Anthropometry and Lung Function of 10- to 12-Year-Old Bolivian Boys
(Thieme Medical Publishers (Germany), 1994) Mercedes Villena; Hilde Spielvogel; Enrique Vargas; Philippe Obert; Ana Alarcón; C. Gonzales; G. Falgairette; H.C.G. Kemper
Anthropometric measurements of 23 HAHSES, 44 HALSES, 43 LAHSES, and 28 LALSES boys (see Introduction to this Supplement) are presented here. They include body height (H), body weight (BW), upper arm circumference (UAC), and skinfold thickness taken at four locations. From these measurements, body fat, lean body mass, and body mass index (BMI = BW/H2) were calculated. The degree of maturation was assessed according to Tanner, orchidometry, and by quantification of testosterone in saliva. Lung function data include: vital capacity (VC), forced expired volume per 1 s (FEV1), functional residual capacity (FRC), residual volume (RV), and total lung capacity (TLC). The results show enhanced lung volumes in both HA groups in comparison to LA groups, with HALSES boys having the greatest increase, even though the LSES boys were significantly smaller compared to the HSES boys at both altitudes and their growth was delayed by approximately 2 years. From the anthropometric data it appears that physical growth of prepubertal boys is dependent on SES but not on high-altitude exposure. We tentatively conclude that chronic hypoxia per se does not affect physical growth in prepubertal boys in an Andean environment and that development of lung function is accelerated in relation to linear growth as has been suggested by other authors (15).
Effect of Chronic Hypoxia and Socioeconomic Status on the Maximal Oxygen Uptake of 10- to 12-Year-Old Bolivian Boys
(Thieme Medical Publishers (Germany), 1994) Philippe Obert; G. Falgairette; Hilde Spielvogel; Esperanza Cáceres
The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of altitude and socioeconomic status on the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) of prepubertal Bolivian boys. The subjects were 143 prepubertal boys (10 to 11.5 years old) living in La Paz (altitude 3600 m, n = 67) and Santa Cruz de la Sierra (altitude 420m, n = 76). At high altitude, 23 boys were from a high socioeconomic status (HAHSES) and 44 from a low socioeconomic background (HALSES). At low altitude, 29 boys were from a high socioeconomic level (LAHSES) and 47 from a low socioeconomic background (LALSES). Anthropometric characteristics were determined in order to assess the physical growth of the boys. The VO2max was determined from a progressive maximal exercise (direct method). The subjects performed this test using the same cycle ergometer at both high and low altitudes. For the overall anthropometric parameters, there was no significant difference between highland and lowland boys of the same socioeconomic status. However, regardless of altitude, boys from a low socioeconomic background were 2 years behind those from a high socioeconomic background. There was no significant difference for VO2max between boys from high and low socioeconomic backgrounds at HA (HAHSES: 37.2 +/- 5.6; HALSES: 38.9 +/- 6.4 ml.min-1.kg-1 body weight) and at LA (LAHSES: 42.6 +/- 5.4; LALSES: 43.1 +/- 4.9 ml.min-1.kg-1 body weight). The VO2max of highland boys was, on average, 11% lower than that of lowland boys. It appears, therefore, that a difference in socioeconomic status has no effect on the VO2max (ml.min-1.kg-1) of prepubertal children at low altitude as well as the altitude of 3600m.
Evaluation of physical fitness from field tests at high altitude in circumpubertal boys: comparison with laboratory data
(Springer Science+Business Media, 1994) G. Falgairette; M. Bedu; Nicole Fellmann; Hilde Spielvogel; Emmanuel Van Praagh; Philippe Obert; J Coudert
The importance of socioeconomic and nutritional conditions rather than altitude on the physical growth of prepubertal Andean highland boys
(Informa, 1994) Philippe Obert; Nicole Fellmann; G. Falgairette; M. Bedu; Emmanuel Van Praagh; H.C.G. Kemper; Bertheke Post; Hilde Spielvogel; V. Tellez; A. Qintela
The aim of this work was to study the effect of hypoxic stress on the physical growth of prepubertal Bolivian boys (10-11.5 years of age) of the same socioeconomic and nutritional conditions. The subjects consisted of 143 boys living in La Paz (altitude 3600 m, n = 67) and Santa Cruz de la Sierra (altitude 420 m, n = 76). Among the boys studied at high altitude, 23 were from a high socioeconomic background (HA1) and 44 from a low socioeconomic background (HA2). The group studied at low altitude consisted of 47 boys from a high socioeconomic background (LA1) and 29 from a low socioeconomic background (LA2). A scientific evaluation of the nutritional status of the boys was realized from specific anthropometric characteristics (height, body weight, upper arm muscle circumference, body fat mass and body mass index) and haematological (haematocrit, haemoglobin, serum iron, serum ferritin, red cell protoporphyrin, transferrin saturation) and biochemical (total serum protein, albumin and prealbumin) parameters. At high as at low altitudes, the biometric characteristics of boys from a low socioeconomic background were significantly lower than those of boys from a high socioeconomic background. The physical growth of HA2 and LA2 boys was delayed by approximately 2 years. All the boys had biochemical and haematological parameters within the normal range. Boys from a low socioeconomic background were considered as marginally undernourished and those from a high socioeconomic background as well-nourished. Within the same socioeconomic class there was no nutritional difference between highland and lowland boys. Similarly, and this is the most important feature of this study, there was no difference for the overall biometric characteristics between highland and lowland boys of the same socioeconomic and nutritional status. Therefore, it appears that when socioeconomic and nutritional conditions are taken into account, there is no effect of hypoxic stress on the physical growth of prepubertal Andean highland boys.