Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Section of Endocrinology, Copenhagen University Hospital (Slagelse), Slagelse, Denmark.
Am J Hum Biol. 2022 Apr;34(4):e23674. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23674. Epub 2021 Sep 6.
The agro-pastoralist Maasai of East Africa are highly physically active, but their aerobic fitness has so far only been estimated using heart rate (HR) response to submaximal exercise and not directly measured. Thus, we aimed to measure aerobic fitness directly using respiratory gas analysis in a group of Maasai, and habitual physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) as explanatory variable.
In total, 21 (10 rural, 11 semi-urban) of 30 volunteering Tanzanian Maasai men were eligible to participate. Respiratory gas exchange was measured during a graded exercise test until exhaustion on a stationary bicycle to determine aerobic fitness. Maximal effort criteria were at least two of the following (1) leveling off, (2) respiratory exchange ratio (RER) >1.10, and (3) maximum HR within 10 bpm of age-estimated maximum HR. Habitual PAEE was estimated using combined accelerometry and HR monitoring. Anthropometry, biochemistry, blood pressure, resting HR, and dietary intake information were collected for background information.
Mean age was 43.2 (range 26-60) years, and hemoglobin was higher in the rural versus semi-urban Maasai (16.9 vs. 15.4 g/dl, p = .02). Mean aerobic fitness (34.4 vs. 33.3 mlO /min/kg, p = .79), and mean PAEE (58.5 vs. 52.9 kJ/day/kg, p = .64) were similar in rural and semi-urban Maasai, respectively.
Aerobic fitness was low to moderate in male rural and semi-urban Maasai. This may be explained by relatively low PAEE in comparison to previous objectively measured activity levels in Maasai, which indicates recent lifestyle changes.
东非的农牧民马赛人身体活动量很大，但他们的有氧适能迄今为止仅通过心率（HR）对亚最大运动的反应来估计，而没有直接测量。因此，我们的目的是使用呼吸气体分析直接测量一组马赛人的有氧适能，并将习惯性体力活动能量消耗（PAEE）作为解释变量。
共有 30 名志愿坦桑尼亚马赛人中的 21 人（10 名农村人，11 名半城市人）符合条件参加。在固定自行车上进行分级运动测试，直到耗尽呼吸气体交换以确定有氧适能。最大努力标准至少有以下两个条件之一（1）平稳，（2）呼吸交换比（RER）>1.10，（3）最大 HR 与年龄估计的最大 HR 相差 10 次/分钟以内。习惯性 PAEE 是通过结合加速度计和 HR 监测来估计的。收集人体测量学、生物化学、血压、静息 HR 和饮食摄入信息作为背景信息。
平均年龄为 43.2 岁（范围 26-60 岁），农村马赛人的血红蛋白高于半城市马赛人（16.9 与 15.4 g/dl，p=0.02）。农村和半城市马赛人的平均有氧适能（34.4 与 33.3 mlO/min/kg，p=0.79）和平均 PAEE（58.5 与 52.9 kJ/day/kg，p=0.64）分别相似。
农村和半城市马赛男性的有氧适能较低至中等。这可能是由于与之前在马赛人中测量的实际活动水平相比，PAEE 相对较低，这表明最近生活方式发生了变化。
