The existing adoptive criterion for VO
2max was created for physically fit subjects who were soldiers and/or sportsmen. However, VO
2max is widely used at present as one of the health-related physical fitness determinants from children to aged persons. It might be appropriate to determine the criterion and the critical values for VO
2max in consideration of age and gender.
The present study attempted to determine the reference range and critical values of the criterion for VO
2max using the iterative truncation method. Voluntary VO
2max was measured in 548 healthy volunteers, aged 8 to 82 years, using a treadmill. The % VO
2max was calculated using the equation of %VO
2max=measured VO
2max × 100 gage-estimated VO
2max. Crude data of %VO
2max was applied to the iterative truncation method, and the reference range of %VO
2max (70-130%VO
2max) was determined. Physiological and biochemical parameters, within the values of 70-130%VO
2max, were converted to a percentage using a similar equation of %VO
2max. The value corresponding to 10% of the lower area of the distribution of each parameter was defined as the critical value, which was the minimum level to adopt as the VO
2max. Taking a single or combined application of the critical value of each parameter, the adoptive ratio of VO
2max was investigated.
The present study indicated that there was no difference between VO
2max selected by the iterative truncation method and that obtained by the existing criterion for VO
2max. The combination of the critical value of HRmax and bLAmax was recommended as a criterion of VO
2max. The reference value, critical value of VO
2max and the critical real value of each parameter were shown as a mean of every 5-year interval with the distinction of gender.
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