Low Muscles Mass Makes Indians Disease Prone

[kdsingh80]

Ever wonder why it is so hard to bulk up at the gym? The reason may be genetic, says a team of Canadian researchers.

The scientists analysed volunteers of European, Chinese, Aboriginal and South Asian descent, and found that even among individuals with the same percentage of body fat, South Asians have a lower percentage of skeletal muscle, one of the body’s main muscle groups and the one responsible for all voluntary actions.

The difference in lean muscle mass may be why Indians are more likely than other ethnic groups to develop diabetes and cardiovascular disease, said the researchers. The study is the first to look at ethnic differences in muscle mass as a potential reason for disease risk.

“In general, excess body fat tends to be accompanied by an increase in muscle mass,” said Scott Lear, a researcher at Simon Fraser University in Canada and lead author of the study. “But South Asians had significantly less lean mass than each of the three other groups.”

The researchers found that South Asian men had at least 3 kg less of skeletal muscle than Chinese and European men. South Asian women also had less muscle mass than their counterparts of other ethnicities — by at least 2 kg.

The findings will appear

in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in December.

[jsingh96]

one thing to consider is that punjabis are very different phsyically to other south asians

[Laadli Fauj]

thank god im khalistani

hahaha

but yeah, would punjabis/north indians fall in with the rest of indians? we're of caucasian/aryan descent if i'm not mistaken, so how does that factor in?

i remember back in middle school this kid asked me, in all seriousness, if it was against our religion to work out/exercise as every elder punjabi he'd ever seen was fat

[Mithar]

Surely this study does not apply to the Punjabis. In general Punjabis are more athletic and taller than the rest of the Indians. Same is true for the Haryavis who are also of the same stock as the Punjabis.

[shaheediyan]

This is more a lifestyle issue than a genetic one in my opinion and experience.

Sikhs (Punjabi) have always been noted for their athlectic build and ability since the first European records of Sikhs began.

Even up to the mid 20th C this was the case, as was seen by the one way success of Sikhs in Army athlectics.

Its the 'cushy' lifestyle most Punjabis lead today that has lead to 'unhealthy' bodytypes and increased risk of diseases.

Having spoken to many bajurg on the subject of the health of great great grandfathers generation, I am consistently told that these diseases were unheard of and that people in those days had a seasonal, disciplined and simple diet - and were always active, it not being uncommon for bajurg to be working well into their late 80s and early 90s, my own grandfathers grandfather Jaimal Singh, was a Subedar Major at the age of 85 - fighting in WW1.

If one looks at any old photos of Akalis, the early mid 19thc British Sikh Army (esp Lucknow fighters).. one will see many white bearded old men who look like they are capable of fighing at least 2 more wars, compare this to the general state of Sikhs in 'retirement' now, and we have a whole different story.

The main reason is that no stupid concept (cultural rather than economical) such as retirement existed back then - hence men continued to work and keep physically and mentally active/fit.

The above is true for all communities in the world, esp ex-warrior communities who were once renowned for their superior health - today they are vulnerable to bad health/illness.

Punjabis are at the high end purely due to a very rich diet, excessive celebratory and low physical activity culture. Not to mention the ever so popular 'glassy'.

Edited October 8, 2009 by shaheediyan