A Comparison of Chest Morphology in High Altitude Asian and Andean Populations

This report considers the universality of large chests among high altitude natives by comparing chest growth in the Tibetan population of Mugu, Nepal (3800m) with that of a population known for possessing a distinctive chest morphology, the Quechua population of Nunoa, Peru (4000m). During growth, both males and females from Mugu have smaller chest widths and depths for a given age than the Nunoans. This is due in part to the Mugumbas’ shorter stature prior to the late teens and in part to a greater chest depth for a given stature during growth of both males and females from Nunoa and a greater chest width for a given stature among males only. As adult size and morphology is approached, shifts in the relationships between chest and overall body size result in adult male Mugu Tibetans achieving similar heights and chest depths to Nunoans while retaining smaller chest widths. Mugu females attain similar chests widths and depths as Nunoa females while attaining a taller stature. Thus population comparisons of chest morphology are influenced by age and sex, due to contrasts in height growth patterns as well as contrasts in height-chest relationships