Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cardiometabolic Risk in Young Adults

Background: The assessment of VO2max allow classify subjects according to the health risk. However the factors that may affect the classifications have been little studied. The main purpose was to determine whether the type of VO2max prediction equation and the Fitnessgram (R) criterion-referenced standards modified the proportion of young adults classified with a level of aerobic capacity cardiometabolic risk indicative. Methods: The study design was observational, cross-sectional and relational. Young adults (n= 240) participated voluntarily. The VO2max was estimated by 20-m shuttle run test applying 9 predictive equations. The differences in the classifications were analyzed with the Cochran Q and McNemar tests. Results: The level of aerobic capacity indicative of cardiometabolic risk ranged between 7.1% and 70.4% depending on the criterion-referenced standards and predictive equation used (p<0.001). A higher percentage of women were classified with an unhealthy level in all equations (women: 29.4% to 85.3% vs 4.8% to 51% in men), regardless of the criterion-referenced standards (p<0.001). Both sexes and irrespective of the equation applied the old criterion-referenced standards classified a lower proportion of subjects (men: 4.8% to 48.1% and women: 39.4% a 68.4%) with unhealthy aerobic capacity (p <= 0.004). Conclusions: The type of VO2max prediction equation and Fitnessgram (R) criterion-referenced standards changed classifications young adults with a level of aerobic capacity of cardiometabolic risk indicative.