Effect of gender in response to an aerobic training programme in prepubertal children

The aim of the present study was to investigate the gender effect of an end urance training programme on the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) of prepuber tal children. The subjects comprised eighty-five 10-11-y-old prepubertal ch ildren: 35 (17 girls, 18 boys; EG) were involved in a 13-wk running trainin g programme and 50 (22 girls, 28 boys; CG) served as a control group. Each subject carried out a continuous and progressive cycle ergometer test befor e and after the 13-wk study period under the same conditions and procedures . Oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide, ventilation and heart rate (HR) were continuously monitored during the test. The training programme consisted of interval and continuous long-distance running (frequency: 3 times a week, duration: 1 h per session, intensity: higher than 80% of maximal HR). VO2ma x significantly increased after the training programme for EG (before = 42. 3 +/- 7.7, after = 45.3 +/- 7.5 ml.min(-1).kg(-1), p < 0.01), while no alte rations were noticed for CG (before=43.1 +/- 6.7, after = 42.6 +/- 7.6 ml.m in(-1).kg(-1), p < 0.01). Such an increase was higher in the girls (+9.1%) than the boys (+4.6%). The lower initial fitness of the girls could explain this, however, because a significant relationship was found between the pe rcentage of VO2max increase after training and the initial VO2max. The present longitudinal study shows the maximal oxygen uptake can increase in prepubertal children after an aerobic training programme and that such an increase is of the same order in boys and girls when the initial aerobic fitness is taken into account.