A Step Test for Evaluating the Aerobic Fitness of Children and Adolescents with Mental Retardation

The purpose of this study was to determine if a step test could be feasible, reliable, and valid for youths with educable (EMR) or trainable (TMR) mental retardation. Thirteen males and 11 females (age M = 14.7 ± 2.7 yr) with EMR or TMR participated in this study. Three step tests were employed using one platform height and stepping frequencies of 13, 15, and 17 ascents/min for 3 min. Recovery HR was used to estimate VO2peak. Though significant, correlations between the recovery HR and VO2peak for the 15 (r = −0.48) and 17 (r = −0.46) ascents/min were not high enough to be considered valid indicators of VO2peak. The large standard errors of the estimate and total errors suggested systematic errors of prediction. Furthermore, the measured VO2peak was significantly different from the estimated values at all step rates (p < .05). The step-test was relatively feasible, but was not a valid test of VO2peak in this population.

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Cardiovascular Fitness and Body Composition of Youth with and without Mental Retardation

Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly ◽

10.1123/apaq.18.2.127 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 127-141 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

Kenneth H. Pitetti ◽

Daniel A. Yarmer ◽

Bo Fernhall

Keyword(s):

Mental Retardation ◽

Sample Size ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Aerobic Fitness ◽

Test Performance ◽

Age Groups ◽

Cardiovascular Fitness ◽

Late Adolescents ◽

Gender And Age ◽

Run Test

The purpose of this study was to compare the aerobic fitness and body mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents (8-18 yr) with and without mild mental retardation (MR). Sample size of participants with MR but without Down syndrome was 169 males and 99 females. Sample size of participants without MR was 289 males and 317 females. Analysis was made by gender and age: children (8-10 yr); early adolescents (11-14 yr); and late adolescents (15-18 yr). The 20-m shuttle run test (20 MST) was used to assess field test performance and predicted aerobic fitness. For all age groups, females and males without MR ran significantly more laps and had a significantly higher predicted aerobic fitness (V̇O2peak: ml $$ kg-1 $$ min-1) than their peers with MR. Additionally, participants with MR tended to have higher BMI than their peers without MR. The results of this study indicate that children and adolescents with MR have lower exercise capacity, lower aerobic fitness, and higher BMIs than their peers without MR.

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Leg Strength Is Related to Endurance Run Performance in Children and Adolescents with Mental Retardation

Pediatric Exercise Science ◽

10.1123/pes.12.3.324 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 324-333 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Bo Fernhall ◽

Kenneth H. Pitetti

Keyword(s):

Mental Retardation ◽

Body Size ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Aerobic Capacity ◽

Significant Influence ◽

Moderate Mental Retardation ◽

Leg Strength ◽

And Gender ◽

The Relationship ◽

Shuttle Run

This study evaluated the relationship between leg strength and endurance run performance, independent of aerobic capacity (V̇O2peak), body size, and gender, in children and adolescents with mild or moderate mental retardation. Twenty-six individuals (15 boys and 11 girls) volunteered and underwent tests of V̇O2peak, isokinetic leg strength, and endurance run performance (600-yard ran/walk and 20-m shuttle run). Results showed that leg strength was significantly related to both types of run performance; however, when controlling for V̇O2peak, body size, and gender, leg strength was a more significant contributor to the 600-yard run/walk than to 20-m shuttle run performance. Gender did not influence these relationships. These data suggest that leg strength has a significant influence on endurance run performance in children and adolescents with mild or moderate mental retardation.

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A Self-Paced Step Test to Predict Aerobic Fitness in Older Adults in the Primary Care Clinic

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society ◽

10.1046/j.1532-5415.2001.49124.x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 49 (5) ◽

pp. 632-638 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

Robert J. Petrella ◽

John J. Koval ◽

David A. Cunningham ◽

Donald H. Paterson

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Primary Care ◽

Aerobic Fitness ◽

Primary Care Clinic ◽

Step Test ◽

Care Clinic

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0325 Better Aerobic Fitness is Associated with Distinct Sleep Characteristics in Children and Adolescents - A Pilot Study

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsaa056.322 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. A123-A124

Author(s):

A B Neikrug ◽

S Radom-Aizik ◽

I Y Chen ◽

A Stehli ◽

K K Lui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Aerobic Fitness ◽

Time Consistency ◽

Sleep Time ◽

Brain Maturation ◽

Circadian Activity ◽

Sleep Patterns ◽

Local Sleep

Abstract Introduction Aerobic fitness facilitates brain synaptic plasticity, which influences global and local sleep expression. While it is known that sleep patterns/behavior and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep slow wave activity (SWA) tracks brain maturation, little is known about how aerobic fitness and sleep interact during growth and development in children and adolescents. The aim of this pilot study was to characterize relationships among aerobic fitness, measures of global/local sleep expression, and habitual sleep patterns in children and adolescents. We hypothesized that greater aerobic fitness would be associated with better sleep quality, indicated by increased SWA. Methods Twenty healthy youth (11-17 years-old, 11 female) were evaluated during summer vacation (no school schedule constraints). Aerobic fitness (VO2peak) was measured using ramp-type progressive cycle ergometry, habitual sleep (i.e., sleep-time consistency and circadian activity patterns) was assessed with 7-day actigraphy, and ad lib sleep was evaluated during overnight polysomnography (PSG) with high-density electroencephalography (hdEEG; 128 channels). Spectral analysis was implemented to quantify SWA (0.5-4.5Hz). Data were analyzed using linear regression analyses and exploratory independent samples t-tests. Results Negative correlations were observed between VO2peak and sleep measures including sleep-time consistency (partial r=-0.53, p=0.045) and timing/acrophase of the circadian activity rhythm (partial r=-0.64, p=0.01) while controlling for sex and age. Additionally, after accounting for Tanner stage and sex, data demonstrated significant effects in SWA at frontal derivations (p=0.024) between low and high fitness levels at topographically specific and meaningful EEG derivations, e.g. over frontal cortex. Conclusion These results suggest that children and adolescents with greater fitness have less variability in sleep-times (improved sleep consistency), tend to have a more advanced circadian activity phase (i.e., go to sleep earlier), and express greater frontal SWA, supporting the hypothesis that fitness is associated with improved local and global sleep quality. Future research with larger samples is necessary to further evaluate these relationships, and to determine if interventions that improve fitness also improve sleep and related brain plasticity. Support NCATS grant #UL1TR001414 & PERC Systems Biology Fund

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Evaluation of the Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test with 10- to 15-Year-Old Children

Pediatric Exercise Science ◽

10.1123/pes.12.3.300 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 300-311 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Anne W. Garcia ◽

Jennifer S. Zakrajsek

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Aerobic Fitness ◽

Maximal Oxygen Consumption ◽

Total Sample ◽

Cardiovascular Fitness ◽

The Body ◽

Step Test ◽

Treadmill Test ◽

Anthropometric Measures ◽

Fitness Test

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test (CAFT), a field measure of cardiovascular fitness. After providing anthropometric measures, 31 subjects, ages 10 to 15, completed a maximal treadmill test and the CAFT, a 3-stage step test. Multiple regression analyses were conducted where maximal oxygen consumption from the treadmill test was estimated based on the oxygen cost of stepping, age and various combinations of body composition. For the total sample, the best model (R = 0.79, SEE = 6.7), obtained from the sum of 4 skinfolds, was the body composition estimate. This model was slightly more accurate for males (R = 0.83, SEE = 6.0) than for females (R = 0.77, SEE = 7.0). When the regression equation incorporated less time consuming indicators of body composition, the predictive power, albeit lower, was still satisfactory. It appears that the CAFT can be a useful option for measuring cardiovascular fitness for youth, with the decision dependent on the purpose of the test, the testing resources, the setting, and the motivation of the subjects.

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The Influence of Aerobic Fitness on Heart Rate Responses of Custody Assistant Recruits during Circuit Training Sessions

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17218177 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (21) ◽

pp. 8177

Author(s):

Matthew R. Moreno ◽

Karly A. Rodas ◽

Ashley M. Bloodgood ◽

J. Jay Dawes ◽

Joseph M. Dulla ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Aerobic Fitness ◽

Step Test ◽

Group Differences ◽

Maximum Heart Rate ◽

Circuit Training ◽

Post Hoc ◽

One Way Anova

This study captured heart rate (HR) responses of custody assistant (CA) recruits undertaking circuit training sessions. Data from 10 male and 12 female CA recruits were analyzed. Based on YMCA step test recovery HR, recruits were divided into higher fitness (HF; top 25%), lower fitness (LF; bottom 25%), and moderate fitness (MF; remaining recruits) groups. HR was measured during two circuit training sessions featuring calisthenics and running. HR zones were defined as: very light (<57% of age-predicted maximum heart-rate [HRmax]); light (57–63% HRmax); moderate (64–76% HRmax); vigorous (77–95% HRmax); and very vigorous (>95% HRmax). A one-way ANOVA, with Bonferroni post hoc, calculated between-group differences in time spent, and percentage of total time, in the HR zones. In session one, the LF group spent less time in the light training zone compared to the MF group, and more time in the very vigorous zone compared to the HF group (p = 0.027–0.047). In session two, the LF group spent more time in the moderate zone compared to both groups, and a greater percentage of time in the very vigorous zone compared to the MF group (p = 0.002–0.004). LF recruits generally worked harder during circuit training than their fitter counterparts, which supported recommendations for ability-based modifications.

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