Interpreting Youth Aerobic Fitness: Promoting Evidence-Based Discussion–A Response to Dotan (2019)

We welcome Raffy Dotan’s Letter to the Editor (14) as it gives us another opportunity to promote evidence-based discussion of the development of youth aerobic fitness. Readers of our contributions to the 2019 Special Issue of Pediatric Exercise Science (6,27,28) will recall that we concluded with, “The authors encourage all pediatric exercise scientists to engage with this discussion, to share ideas and methods, and be willing to explore alternatives. There are many issues to resolve and constructive, collaborative debate will speed our collective aim toward a better understanding of pediatric aerobic fitness in health and disease” (27, p. 256). Not the words of authors preaching a “gospel” with “evangelistic persistence” as Dotan (14) suggests, but of scientists genuinely seeking to stimulate evidence-based discussion of the development of youth aerobic fitness and its relationship with health and well-being.