Assessment of youth fitness under long-term exposure to toxic environmental conditions due to pesticides: Case from Aral Sea region

Ill-planned irrigation systems and pesticide overuse during 1950-1960 severely impacted the soil system in the Aral Sea region. Organochlorine compounds including DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloromethylmethane), DEE (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene), DDD (dichlorodiphenyldichloromethane), HCCH (hexachlorane) and toxic metals are readily available in soil systems. Thus, long-term exposure to these toxic environmental conditions increases the health risk of the people. Hence, this study investigates environmental influence on the development of power motor qualities, physical endurance, and oxygen capacity in young people living in this region. The study cohort included 609 volunteers aged 18-25 in two different geographical regions, North and Nukus in Uzbekistan. All participants were assessed based on the one-mile walking test for strength motor qualities, dynamic and static power endurance, and maximum oxygen consumption (MOC) in addition to hematological indices. Data analysis revealed significantly lower values of all fitness test parameters and MOC in young men and only parameters of dynamic power endurance living in the North region. Both male and female participants of the North cohort had lower red blood cell (RBC) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels compared to the cohort from Nukus. A high prevalence (28% of males and 96% of females) and the nature of anemia (normocytic and normochromic) were found. This study has sufficiently characterized the change in muscular strength and physical endurance in youth in this region. The decrease of MOC and muscle strength and endurance in young men and women may have an influence from organochlorine pesticides on haemopoiesis and subsequent decreasing of oxygen capacity in the blood.