Chest dimensions of European and Aymara children at high altitude.

Abstract

This study compares the chest dimensions of European children raised at high altitude with those of Andean natives. The samples consist of 216 children between 8 and 14 years who attend the private French School in La Paz, Bolivia and 253 Aymara children of the same age who reside in the rural country of Arncoraimes, Bolivia. Compared to the Aymara children, the European children have larger chest depths and chest widths, but have smaller chest dimensions relative to stature. There is no difference between the two groups in the ratio of chest width to chest depth. The small relative chest size of the European children further expands the range of variation in chest dimensions among high altitude populations.