The maximal aerobic capacity of adult Puerto Ricans
Rivera, M.A.
Boletin de la Asociacion Medica de Puerto Rico 78(10): 427-430
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-4849 PMID: 3466592 Document Number: 700039
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the maximal cardorespiratory characteristics of normal and healthy adult Puerto Ricans and to develop sex/age group specific norms for the classification of the cardiorespiratory fitness (.ovrhdot.VO2) max. Three hundred eighty six subjects (268 males and 118 females), 20 to 69 years old, underwent a medical examination and physiological evaluation that included a Bruce treadmill test for the determination of the .ovrhdot.VO2 max, (ml.cntdot.kg-1 min-1), maximal heart rate (HRmax) (beats/min), and maximal pulmonary ventilation (.ovrhdot.Vemax) (L.cntdot.min-1). The following anthropometrical characteristics were assessed; age (years), height (cm), weight (kg), body density (g/cc) and % body fat. The results revealed that the women were shorter, lighter, and had a greater relative body fat. The HRmax for the men and the women were similar and near the age predicted maximum (220-age). .ovrhdot.VO2 max and .ovrhdot.Vemax were higher in the males. The results obtained for the anthropometric and physiological measures compared favorably with results reported for other populations of similar age.