運動中および運動後の心拍数から心肺フィットネスを推定するステップテスト：青年期大学生に対する交差妥当性

抄録

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan Step Test (JST) is a valid approach for cardiorespiratory fitness assessment among subjects aged 30-60 years. It estimates maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) based on the heart rate (HR) index, a combination of HRs during and after exercise. This study assessed the cross-validity of the VO₂max estimation using the JST among adolescent university students. A total of 20 healthy male university students were included in this study. Measurements were taken over three days, with cardiopulmonary exercise testing, JST, and the Chester step test (CST) measured on each day. Pearson’s product-rate correlation coefficient or Spearman’s rank-sum correlation coefficient was used for examining the association between measured VO₂max and estimated VO₂max and between measured VO₂max and variables in the JST equation. Bland-Altman analysis was also used to examine the presence and extent of systematic errors between measured and estimated VO₂max. Estimated VO₂max by the JST showed a stronger correlation with measured VO₂max than estimated VO₂max by the CST. Moreover, the HR index showed the strongest correlation with measured VO₂max in variables of the JST equation. However, estimated VO₂max by the JST showed fixed and proportional errors when compared to measured VO₂max. It was suggested that the HR index, a combination of HRs during and after exercise, was useful for estimating VO₂max among adolescent university students. Estimated VO₂max using the JST showed a strong correlation with measured VO₂max, however, some estimation accuracy problems such as systematic errors.