Affiliations: Sports and Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department
of Physiology, University of Calcutta, University College of Science and
Technology, Kolkata, India
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Amit Bandyopadhyay, Sports and
Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University of
Calcutta, University College of Science and Technology, 92, A. P. C. Road,
Kolkata: 700009, India. Tel.: +91 33 23508386 (Extension 221); Fax: +91 33
23519755; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Direct estimation of VO_{2}max
involves labourious, exhaustive, hazardous, time consuming and expensive
experimental protocols. Hence, application of various indirect protocols for
prediction of VO_{2}max has become popular, subject to
proper population-specific standardisation of the indirect protocol. OBJECTIVES: Application of Fox (1973) protocol in male sedentary
university students of Kolkata, India led to premature fatigue in their leg
muscles that hindered the muscular activity leading to inability in completing
the exercise. The present study was aimed at modifying and validating the Fox
(1973) protocol with a convenient workload of 110 W (i.e., modified Fox test or
MFT) in the said population. METHODS: Ninety (90) sedentary male students were recruited by
simple random sampling from the University of Calcutta, India and they were
randomly assigned into study group (n=60) and confirmatory group (n=30).
VO_{2}max was directly estimated by Scholander micro-gas
analysis after incremental bicycle exercise. Predicted
VO_{2}max (PVO_{2}max) was computed from
MFT by using the submaximal heart rate (HR_{sub}). RESULTS: In the Study Group VO_{2}max (2216.63
± 316.77 mL.min^{- 1}) was significantly different
(P< 0.001) from PVO_{2}max (3131.73 ± 234.32
mL.min^{-1}) measured by using the equation of Fox (1973).
Simple and multiple regression equations have been computed for prediction of
VO_{2}max from HR_{sub} and physical
parameters. Application of these norms in the confirmatory group depicted
insignificant difference between VO_{2}max and
PVO_{2}max with substantially small limits of agreement and
lower values of SEE. CONCLUSION: The modified regression norms are therefore recommended
for use in MFT for accurate assessment of VO_{2}max in the
studied population.
Keywords: VO[TeX:] _{2}max, Indian males, sedentary, cycle ergometry
