VALIDATION OF A CYCLE ERGOMETRY EQUATION FOR PREDICTING STEADY-RATE VO2 IN OBESE WOMEN

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy equations deve loped by the American College of Sports Medicine and by Latin et al. ( Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 25:970-974, 1993) for estimating the oxygen co st of cycle ergometry in obese women. Fifty-six deconditioned subjects , aged 23-60 yr, performed a three-stage (0, 50, and 100 W) submaximal cycle ergometry test while their oxygen uptake was measured. Results indicated that the ACSM equation significantly (P < 0.05) underestimat ed oxygen consumption at ail three workloads. The Latin equation, by c ontrast, correctly predicted-oxygen consumption at the 50- and 100-W w orkloads, although not at 0 load. The mean bias for all three workload s was 287.6 ml . min(-1) for the ACSM equation and 58.3 ml . min(-1) f or the Latin equation. These data suggest that the Latin equation is m ore accurate than the ACSM formula for estimating oxygen consumption o f loaded cycling in obese women. However, caution must be used when at tempting to predict the caloric cost of unloaded cycling.