Maximal O2 uptake of boys and girls -- ages 14--17

White high school girls (n = 120) and boys (n = 120) aged 14--17 years, selected from 9th, 10th, 11th and 12 grades of a northern, midwest U.S. high school performed running exercise on a motor driven treadmill for determinations of maximal O2 uptake (VO2 max). The mean VO max for all age groups was 40.8 +/- 4.0 and 54.7 +/- 5.6 ml/kg-min-1 for girls and boys respectively. The difference in VO2 max across age groups varied only from 40.2--41.2 ml/kg-min-1 for girls and 54.0-56.3 ml/kg-min-1 for boys. These differences were not significant (P greater than 0.05). The reported VO2 max data are compared with those reported in other studies for bicycle ergometer and treadmill excercise using similar age groups.