Do people from different backgrounds have different lung capacities?

Question

Do people from different backgrounds have different lung capacities?

Answer 1

People living at High altitudes are more effective at drawing oxygen from the air they breath, but if this means they have larger lungs, I'm not so sure. The Lungs unlike the heart is not a muscle so they do not get larger with exercise.

Answer 2

If you mean "background" to include personal history, yes. An athlete will have a much greater vital capacity than a couch potato.