VALIDATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS FIELD TESTS IN CHILDREN WITH MENTAL RETARDATION 294

Abstract

We determined the validity of the 600 yard walk/run (WR), 20m and a modified 16m shuttle run (SR), as measures of aerobic capacity in 34 children(22 boys; 12 girls; [horizontal bar over]xage = 14.3 yrs) with mild and moderate mental retardation (MR). Several practice session of both the laboratory and field tests were completed prior to testing. The children then completed a maximal treadmill protocol with metabolic measurements, and two trials of each field test, in randomized order on separate days. The maximal oxygen consumption (˙VO2max) was 36.6 ml·kg-1·min-1 and the maximal heart rate was 186 bpm. All the field tests were very reliable(600yrd WR, r =.97; 20m SR, r =.95; 16m SR, r =.92). ˙VO2max was significantly (p<.05) related to all the field tests (600yrd WR, r = -.80; 20m SR, r =.74; 16m SR, r =.77). A stepwise multiple regression showed that field test performance, body mass index (BMI), and gender, but not age, were also significant contributors to ˙VO2max, with R =.86 (SEE = 4.8), R =.88 (SEE = 4.5), and R =.89 (SEE = 4.4) for the 600yrd WR, 20m SR and 16m SR, respectively. Consistent with previous data these children with MR had a low ˙VO2max and maximal heart rate. All the field tests were valid and reliable indicators of aerobic capacity, but the prediction of ˙VO2max from field test performance was improved by also including BMI and gender in the regression equation.