One Minute Stair Step Test in Predicting VO2 max among Healthy Young Adults
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15850/amj.v13n2.4662Keywords:
Bland-Altman analysis, cardiorespiratory fitness, heart rate recovery, step test, VOâ‚‚maxAbstract
Background: Cardiovascular risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia and hypertension, are increasing among Indonesian young adults despite their apparently healthy status. Valid field methods for assessing VOâ‚‚max, a key indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness, are needed for large-scale screening. This study validated the one-minute stair step test (OMSST) against the Bruce treadmill protocol as the reference standard.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 51 healthy males (20.41±0.57 years, BMI 22.52±3.28 kg/m²) in Bandung, Indonesia. VOâ‚‚max was measured using the Bruce protocol and estimated using the OMSST (40-cm step, 30 steps/min). Anthropometrics variables, heart rate recovery at 60 seconds (HRR60), and multiple regression variables (age, height, weight, and HRR60) were analyzed using paired t-tests, correlations, and Bland-Altman plots.
Results: The mean VOâ‚‚max estimated using the OMSST (50.91±3.29 mL/kg/min) closely matched that measured Bruce protocol (49.75±3.61 mL/kg/min; p=0.091), with a small positive bias (1.16 mL/kg/min) and 95% limits of agreement within acceptable bounds. A strong correlation (r=0.85, p<0.001) confirmed validity. HRR60 (91.12±15.10 bpm) significantly predicted VOâ‚‚max.
Conclusion: OMSST is a valid, simple, low-cost field surrogate for laboratory VOâ‚‚max testing in young males, ideal for middle-income settings. Future studies should assess diverse populations and longitudinal reliability.
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