Energy metabolism and body temperature of the ama

¹ Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea, and Department of Physiology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York

Rectal temperature and oxygen consumption were determined in the ama while diving during the summer and winter. In addition, a dietary survey and a physical-fitness test were conducted. The average rectal temperature fell to 35.3 C after 45 min of work in summer (water temp., 22–26 C) and to 34.8 C after 30 min of work in winter (water temp., 10–13 C). The lowest rectal temperature was 33.2 C in summer and 34.3 C in winter. Vo₂ increased to nearly 1 liter/min in summer and to 1.4 liter/min in winter. One can calculate that the total extra energy expenditure for diving work is approximately 1,000 kcal/day in both winter and summer. The actual dietary survey showed that the total caloric intake of the ama is 3,000 kcal/day in both summer and winter, which exceeds the daily requirement for nondiving women of comparable age by 1,000 kcal. The protein intake was not different between summer and winter. Physical fitness, as judged by the score of Harvard step-up test, was significantly better in the ama than in the control in both summer and winter. Moreover, physical fitness was poorer in winter as compared to summer in the control, whereas it was excellent throughout a year in the ama.

Submitted on January 15, 1964