Validation of Several Methods of Estimating Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Young Men

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the most accurate predictor of VO2max from a variety of running tests. 32 young adult male undergraduates of (mean +/- SE) age 20.14 +/- 0.34 yr., height 179.4 +/- 1.8 cm, weight 73.7 +/- 2.8 kg, and VO2max 57.89 +/- 1.1 ml.kg-1.min.-1 were randomly tested on four different predictive VO2max running tests to assess their actual VO2max, based on a continuous, progressive treadmill protocol and obtained via gas analysis. The four tests consisted of a treadmill jogging test, 1.5 mile run, Cooper's 12-min. run, and the 20-m progressive shuttle-run test. An analysis of variance applied to means indicated significance. Post hoc analysis between the means with correction by Scheffé showed significant difference between the predictive submaximal treadmill jogging test and the 12-min. run but no other differences. The strength of the relationship between predictive tests and VO2max varied, with the 12-min. run having the highest correlation of .87, followed by the 1.5 mile run .87, 20-m progressive shuttle run .82, and the treadmill jogging test .50. The 12-min. run had the highest correlation of all tests with VO2max in young men, with active to trained levels of fitness. The 1.5 mile and 20-m shuttle run also provided accurate predictions of VO2max and so should be used for an accurate prediction of young men's VO2max.

Position statement: Testing physical condition in a population – how good are the methods?

“…However, inexperienced runners have difficulties to find the optimal speed, and are therefore underestimated. The multistage 20-meter shuttle run test (MST) was shown to be an accurate method to estimate VO 2max in adults in one study (r = 0.90) (Léger L & Gadoury C, 1989), whereas other studies failed to provide such strong correlations (r = 0.79 -0.86) and reported a statistically significant underestimation of VO 2max by MST (3.0 -7.5 %) (Cooper et al, 2005;Grant S et al, 1995;McNaughton L et al, 1998;Ramsbottom R et al, 1988). In children and adolescents, the correlations between MST estimates and criterion measures of VO 2max ranged between 0.71 and 0.87 (American College of Sports Medicine position stand., 1990; Boreham CAG et al, 1990;Léger L et al, 1988;Liu NYS et al, 1992).…”

Estimativa do consumo máximo de oxigênio e análise de concordância entre medida direta e predita por diferentes testes de campo

“…Embora parte desses estudos tenha encontrado boas correlações entre os valores estimados por testes de campo e medidos em testes de laboratório 8,[10][11][12][13][14] , sobretudo em indivíduos adultos, essa informação sus respectivas ecuaciones, mientras que la concordancia entre los métodos se hizo por el análisis de Bland- não parece ser suficiente para avaliar a qualidade das informações produzidas, visto que a força da correlação por si só não indica uma boa concordância entre dois métodos. Desta forma, a utilização de procedimentos estatísticos mais robustos para o tratamento dos dados pode proporcionar um diagnóstico mais criterioso acerca das informações produzidas até o presente momento 15 .…”

Secular Trends in the Physical Fitness of American Youth, Young Adults and Army Recruits

“…Endurance runs are used as surrogate measures of aerobic capacity because they have a large aerobic component. V02max is highly related to 2-mile mn times with correlations ranging from -0.76 to -0.91 (67); the correlation between the shuttle run and VOamax ranges from 0.66 to 0.95 (43,46,85,86,93,105,117,128). Thus, the variance in common to these endurance mn tests and VOamax (i.e., correlation squared) is 44% to 82%.…”