Does the 6-min walk test correlate with the exercise stress test in children?
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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Exercise Test for Evaluation of the Functional Efficacy of the Pig Cardiovascular System
Published on: May 12, 2023
Daniel J Lesser1, Margaret M Fleming, Carolyn A Maher
1Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90027-6062, USA.
Insights
The 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) correlates with aerobic fitness in healthy children. For children with cystic fibrosis (CF), the 6-minute walk work (6MWORK) better reflects aerobic capacity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric exercise physiology
- Pulmonary rehabilitation
Background:
- The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is a common assessment tool.
- Its correlation with aerobic fitness varies between healthy children and those with cystic fibrosis (CF).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between 6-minute walk test metrics and aerobic capacity in children.
- To determine if 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) or 6-minute walk work (6MWORK) is a better indicator of aerobic fitness in healthy versus CF pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Studied 13 healthy children and 11 children with CF (ages 8-20).
- Utilized the 6-minute walk test, treadmill graded exercise stress test, and spirometry.
- Analyzed data using Student's t-test and Pearson correlation.
Main Results:
- In healthy subjects, 6MWD correlated with peak oxygen uptake (V'O2 max) (r = 0.59, P < 0.05).
- In CF subjects, 6MWORK correlated with V'O2 max (r = 0.65, P < 0.05), while 6MWD did not (r = 0.09, NS).
Conclusions:
- 6MWD is a valid measure of aerobic fitness in healthy children.
- 6MWORK is a more appropriate measure for assessing aerobic fitness in children with CF.
- 6MWORK may be superior to 6MWD for evaluating aerobic fitness in pediatric CF patients.
Abstract:
Is there a correlation between the 6-min walk and aerobic fitness in children? We studied healthy and cystic fibrosis (CF) subjects age 8-20 years using the 6-min walk test, treadmill graded exercise stress test, and spirometry. Six-minute walk distance (6MWD) and the product of 6MWD and body weight (6MWORK) were related to aerobic capacity. Data were analyzed using Student's t-test and Pearson correlation. 13 healthy subjects [9 females, mean age 15.8 +/- 3.6 years, % predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) 105 +/- 12%, 6MWD 557 +/- 73 m, peak oxygen uptake (V' O2 max) 41.4 +/- 7.2 ml/kg/min, and heart rate (HR) at V' O2 max 180 +/- 10] and 11 CF subjects (3 females, mean age 14.3 +/- 3.8 years, FEV(1) 67 +/- 25.9%, 6MWD 468 +/- 68 m, V' O2 max 27.0 +/- 8.1 ml/kg, and HR at V' O2 max 163 +/- 22] were studied. 6MWD correlates with V' O2 max in normal subjects (r = 0.59, P < 0.05) but not in CF subjects (r = 0.09, NS). 6MWORK correlates with V' O2 max in CF subjects (r = 0.65, P < 0.05) but not in normal subjects (r = 0.278, NS). We conclude that the 6MWD corresponds with aerobic fitness in normal pediatric subjects and 6MWORK corresponds with aerobic fitness in CF subjects. We speculate that 6MWORK is superior to 6MWD for assessment of aerobic fitness in children with CF.
