We examined the relationships between maximum oxygen uptake (Vo₂max) and cardiovascular risk factors including age (year), systolic blood pressure (mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (mmHg), serum total cholesterol level (mg/dl), serum high-density lipoprotein level (mg/dl), serum triglyceride level (mg/dl), blood glucose level (mg/dl), serum uric acid level (mg/dl), body fat (%bw), Body Mass Index (BMI), alcohol (points/day), cigarettes (/day), and physical activity (METs·exercise time/30days). The alcohol point was defined as follows: beer 633ml=a glass of whiskey and water=sake 180ml=1 point, and totaled at 30 days. The subjects of our study were 162 males (aged 40.6±13.1) and 133 females (aged 41.3±11.1) who underwent medical and physical examinations at the Fukui Industrial Health Center from April, 1991 to June, 1992. As a result of simple correlation analysis in males, Vo₂max had significantly negative correlations with age (r=-0.223, p<0.01), systolic blood pressure (r=-0.228, p<0.01), diastolic blood pressure (r=-0.239, p<0.01), or serum triglyceride level (r=-0.258, p<0.001), serum uric acid level (p<0.05), body fat (r=-0.230, p<0.01), and BMI (r=-0.312, p<0.001), and was positively correlated with physical activity (r=0.249, p<0.01). On the other hand, in females, age (r=-0.224, p<0.01), systolic blood pressure (r=-0.222, p<0.01), diastolic blood pressure (r=-0.267, p<0.01), serum triglyceride level (r=-0.261, p<0.001), body fat (r=-0.280, p<0.01), and BMI (r=-302, p<0.001), had significantly negative correlations with Vo₂max. However, partial correlations were tested after controling body fat, BMI, cigarette, alcohol, physical activity, and age, none of the factors correlated with Vo₂max significantly.
These findings suggest that the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are related to Vo₂max, and the life style has an influence on these correlations. Thus, Vo₂max may be a comprehensive indicator for health promotion among the working population. Furthemore a longitudinal study is required to determine whether the increase in Vo₂max is related to the improvement in the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

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