PEFR was measured in 300 healthy adult male and female staff and
students of the University of Benin, Benin City, and the College of
Education, Ekiadolor, near Benin. The variations of Peak Expiratory
Flow Rate (PEFR) with respect to height (ht), weight (wt) and chest
circumference (cc) were determined in these subjects. PEFR values fell
within the middle to the lower limits of the range for the general male
and female populations. There was a linear increase in PEFR with
respect to the three anthropometric variables (ht, wt and cc) only in
the young adult males, whereas in the older adult males and females,
PEFR fluctuated considerably with the variables. PEFR correlates more
with ht, wt and cc in young adults than in older adults. Respiratory
function indices collected from healthy young adults may be more
reliable and predictable than those from older adults