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Estimating VO2max in children aged 5–6 years through the preschool-adapted 20-m shuttle-run test (PREFIT)

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

(1) To examine the comparability, i.e., discriminatory power, in a preschooler test (PREFIT 20-m shuttle-run test) and the 20mSRT-Original in 5–6-year-olds; (2) to provide an equation to estimate VO2max from the 20mSRT-PREFIT.

Methods

138 participants aged 5–6 years performed the 20mSRT-PREFIT and the 20mSRT-Original in a counterbalanced order. Total test duration, completed stages, maximum speed and maximum heart rate were registered.

Results

Participants finished stages from 2–10 in the 20mSRT-PREFIT, whereas stages 1–5 were completed in the 20mSRT-Original and a null was registered, showing the original version a lower discriminatory power. We also observed that the higher the cardiorespiratory fitness level the more comparable were the tests, i.e., − 0.04 km h−1 difference between tests in the fittest participants (i.e., maximum speed ≥ 9.5 km h−1). Using the original equation proposed by Leger and colleagues in 1988 and based on the estimation regression of maximum speed in the 20mSRT-Original from the PREFIT version, we computed a new equation to estimate VO2max from the 20mSRT-PREFIT: Y = 44.657 + 1.795X 1   − 2.601X 2  + 0.0852X 1 X 2 (r = 0.77; r 2 = 0.59; SEE = 1.25 ml kg−1 min−1 or 2.59% of estimated mean VO2max = 48.38 ml kg−1 min−1), where X 1 is the 20mSRT-PREFIT maximum speed (km h−1) and X 2 is the age of participants. The 20mSRT-PREFIT resulted in a significantly higher maximum heart rate than the 20mSRT-Original.

Conclusions

The 20mSRT-PREFIT has higher discriminatory power than the 20mSRT-Original. Our study provides for the first time an opportunity to estimate VO2max in preschoolers and children based on the 20mSRT-PREFIT maximum speed and the age of participants.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

CRF:

Cardiorespiratory fitness

maxHR:

Maximum heart rate

Q:

Quartile

SEE:

Standard error of estimate

SPSS:

Statistical package for the social sciences

VO2max:

Maximal oxygen uptake

VO2peak:

Peak oxygen uptake

20mSRT-PREFIT:

20-meter shuttle-run test PREFIT

20mSRT-Original:

20-meter shuttle-run test-Original

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the preschool and children students, parents and teachers for their participation in this study. We also acknowledge everyone who helped with the data collection and all the members involved in the field-work for their effort, enthusiasm and support. This work was supported by the Ramón y Cajal Grant held by FBO (RYC-2011-09011). JM-G and GS-D are supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (FPU 14/06837 and FPU 13/04365, respectively). CC-S is supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BES-2014-068829). FBO is supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC- 2011–09011). Additional funding was obtained from the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence; Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES). In addition, funding was provided by the SAMID III network, RETICS, the PN I + D + I 2017–2021 (Spain), ISCIII-Sub-Directorate General for Research Assessment and Promotion, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (Ref. RD16/0022) and the EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health in Special Populations (DEP2005-00046/ACTI). This work is part of a Ph.D. thesis conducted in the Biomedicine Doctoral Studies of the University of Granada, Spain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity” Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Ctra. de Alfacar s/n, 18071,, Granada, Spain

    Jose Mora-Gonzalez, Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez, Borja Martinez-Tellez, Guillermo Sanchez-Delgado, Jonatan R. Ruiz & Francisco B. Ortega

  2. Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden

    Jonatan R. Ruiz & Francisco B. Ortega

  3. Département de Kinésiologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada

    Luc Léger

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  1. Jose Mora-Gonzalez
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  5. Jonatan R. Ruiz
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  6. Luc Léger
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  7. Francisco B. Ortega
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Correspondence to Jose Mora-Gonzalez.

Additional information

Communicated by Jean-René Lacour.

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421_2017_3717_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Figure Supplementary 1. Bland-Altman plots representing variability between the 20mSRT-PREFIT and the 20mSRT-Original for maximum speed at last completed stage (Panel A) and maximum heart rate (Panel B). Upper and lower lines represent 95% limits of agreement (±1.96 SD). Middle line represents the systematic errors for speed and hear rate (-0.4 km h-1 and +4.2 bpm, respectively). 20mSRT = 20-meter shuttle-run test, Bpm = Beats per minute (TIFF 10,425 KB)

421_2017_3717_MOESM2_ESM.tif

Figure Supplementary 2. Simple regression scatter plot between cumulated shuttles performed in 20mSRT-PREFIT and 20mSRT-Original. Dashed lines represent a SEE ± 3.00 with respect to the regression line. Empty dots represent outliers which were considered those participants with abnormal or out of normal range performances for either tests, as defined by being out of the expected range of a SEE ± 3.00 with respect to the regression line. Regression equation including outliers (n=138) and using Anderson et al. (1986) technique was also obtained: Y=0.914X - 14.21 (r=0.71, r²=0.51, SEE=6.48, n=138). 20mSRT = 20-meter shuttle-run test, SEE = Standard Error of Estimate (TIFF 4,812 KB)

Supplementary material 3 (DOCX 86 KB)

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Mora-Gonzalez, J., Cadenas-Sanchez, C., Martinez-Tellez, B. et al. Estimating VO2max in children aged 5–6 years through the preschool-adapted 20-m shuttle-run test (PREFIT). Eur J Appl Physiol 117, 2295–2307 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3717-7

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