Relationship between Peak VO2 and 1-Mile Walk Test Performance of Adolescent Males with Mental Retardation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between peak VO2 and the 1-mile walk test (WALK) performance of forty 12–17-year-old males (mean age = 14.13 years) with mental retardation (mean IQ = 50). Test-retest reliability of the WALK was high for WALK times (R = .97), WALK End-HR (R = .88), and WALK HRpeak (R = .92). Test-retest reliability of relative peak VO2 was .90. Partial correlation analysis indicated that when weight and various combinations of variables with weight were held constant, the relationship between WALK time and peak VO2 was strengthened. Multiple regression analysis of WALK performance variables and peak VO2 measures indicated the best model for estimating relative peak VO2: VO2peak = 95.56 − 3.345 (walk time) − 0.174 (WT) and the best model for estimating absolute peak VO2: VO2peak = 2.90 − .176 (walk rime) + .031 (WT). Results indicated the WALK as a reliable field test for the sample tested.