[Aerobic power of students aged 13-15 years in Wuhan City]

To measure the maximal capacity of students aged 13- 15 years by graded exercise test, and establish a model to indirect predict VO2 max.

A total of 31 school-aged students in Wuhan participated in the study. Maximal oxygen uptake was obtained from a graded maximal exercise test, the anthropometric variables including height, weight, vital capacity( VC), resting heart rate, fat mass were measured and body mass index( BMI), body fat percentage( FAT%) was calculated. The relationships between maximal oxygen uptake and anthropometric characteristics were investigated in partial correlation analysis and a linear multiple regression model was established.

There was a significant difference in mass-relative VO_(2max)[( 48. 00± 5. 80) L / min vs( 39. 79 ± 6. 37) L / min, P < 0. 001], absolute VO_(2max)[( 2. 66 ± 0. 29)m L /( kg·min) vs( 2. 02 ± 0. 36) m L /( kg·min), P < 0. 001], pulse oxygen [( 13. 33 ±1. 28) m L / beat vs( 10. 34 ± 1. 70) m L / beat, P < 0. 001] between the boys and girls respectively. And a statistically significant negative correlation was observed between values of maximal oxygen uptake and weight, BMI, FAT% and resting heart rate( P <0. 05), while lean body mass was positive with VO_(2max)( P < 0. 05). Multiple regression analysis suggested that the best VO_(2max) predictive model of boys was VO_(2max)= 0. 856 +0. 044 × lean body mass- 0. 011 × resting heart rate + 0. 0002 × vital capacity( R =0. 903, R~2= 0. 816), and the prediction equation of girls was follows: VO_(2max)= 4. 769 +0. 044 × lean body mass- 0. 020 × resting heart rate- 0. 254 × age( R = 0. 813, R~2=0. 662).

The present study suggests that anthropometric characteristics might be closely related with maximal aerobic capacity and can effectively predict the maximal aerobic power.