PREDICTING AEROBIC POWER IN CHILDREN - A COMPARISON OF 2 METHODS

Objective. To compare the accuracy of two equations for predicting (V) over dotO(2)max of children using submaximal cycle ergometry, Experim ental design. Repeated measures comparing treadmill measured maximal a erobic power ((V) over dotO(2)max) with two methods of predicting (V) over dotO(2)max using cycle ergometry testing. Participants. Thirty-th ree children (15 boys and 18 girls) aged 7-13 Sears served as subjects . Measures, Each child completed a treadmill graded exercise test (GXT ) to volitional fatigue to assess (V) over dotO(2)max. Each child also completed a progressive 9-min, three-stage, submaximal cycle ergomete r test. Heart rates obtained during the last minute of each stage of t he ergometer test were used to predict (V) over dotO(2)max. Prediction s were based on a gender-specific modification of the PWC170 (PWCGS) a nd a modification of the PWC195 using a 1.17 correction factor and an age and gender-adjusted estimate of resting metabolic rate. Results. T he correlations between both submaximal tests and the GXT were signifi cant (p<0.001); however, the correlation between the GXT and the PWC19 5 equation (r=0.807) was higher than the correlation between the GXT a nd the PWCGS equation (r=0.658), Analysis indicated that the PWCGS equ ation significantly underestimated the (V) over dotO(2)max compared to either the GXT or PWC195 (GXT=45.0+/-7.1, PWC195=44.7+/-6.2, PWCGS=42 .7+/-5.8 ml/kg/min; p<0.01). Conclusions. These results suggest that a lthough the gender-specific PWCGS method is easier to compute and may be acceptable, the modified PWC195 method is a more accurate estimate of (V) over dotO(2)max in children.