Abstract
With regard to the fact that temperature of human body remains almost constant at $37^{\circ}C$, changes by circadian variation, this study intended to investigate the effect of circadian rhythm on physiological responses of human body according to body fat rate. Fifteen healthy adult women were recruited for this study and were measured body fat as a method of bio impedance. We organized subjects into three groups ; low body fat group(group L-less than 20% of body fat), medium body fat group(group M-20%~30% of body fat) and high body fat group(group H-more than 30% of body fat). The experiment was carried out in a climate chamber of $32^{\circ}C$, 60% RH with the repeat of 'Exercise' and 'Rest' period. Subjects participated in two experiments, one is morning experiment(called 'AM'), the other is afternoon experiment (called 'PM'). The results of this study are as follows ; As to the variation of rectal temperature, group L and M had a significant difference in the time of the day between AM and PM, but group H had almost the same rectal temperature in the two kinds of experimental time. The reason why group H had a smaller difference in the circadian rhythm of rectal temperature in this study is estimated at the Budd et al.(1991)'s results that body fat had effects on reduction in thermogenesis, radiation, mean skin temperature, and increase in insulation of the tissues. Group M had the highest mean skin temperature in the 'PM'. All the 3 groups didn't have stable values in 'AM'. But it showed more stable in 'PM' than 'AM'. Sweat rate was the highest in group H in both 'AM' and 'PM'. Group M had larger sweat rate in 'PM' than 'AM'. but in group L and H, sweat rate was almost the same in two kinds of time of the day. This result suggests that who have more or less body fat have larger difference in sweat rate between morning and afternoon than who have normal body fat.
