Field estimation of cardiorespiratory fitness in young females, eight to eleven years of age

The purpose of this study was twofold: 1. To determine the validity of the 9 minute and 12 minute timed runs and the 1600 metre distance run as predictors of peak oxygen uptake and therefore as measures of cardiorespiratory fitness in girls 8 to 11 years of age. 2. To determine the reliability of the 9 minute and 12 minute timed runs and the 1600 metre distance run as measures of cardiorespiratory endurance. Hypotheses were formulated from these two major purposes as well as from additonal problems which included: (i) studying the relationship between the timed/distance runs and peak oxygen uptake as the distance and time components of the runs increased, (ii) determining the intercorrelatons between two different timed or distance runs with respect to the distance and the length of time spent running. Sixty female subjects from Crofton House School and St. Patrick's Elementary School, Vancouver, B.C., were tested on the three timed/distance runs, the 9 minute, 12 minute and,1600 metre runs and a peak oxygen uptake treadmill test. Anthropometric measures (height, weight and percent body fat) were also taken. Prior to the timed/distance run testing all of the subjects were taught the concept of paced running and had four practise runs to practise this concept. Twenty of the subjects completed all the testing. The validities of the 9 minute, the 12 minute and the 1600 metre runs as predictors of peak oxygen uptake and the interrelationships between all the variables were determined by developing a correlation matrix. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted to select the independent variables (age, height, weight, percent body fat, 9 minute timed run, 12 minute timed run and the 1600 metre distance run) that best predicted the dependent variable, peak oxygen uptake. The reliabilities of the 9 minute, the 12 minute and the 1600 metre runs were determined by developing test-retest reliability correlation coefficients. The results indicated that all three timed/distance runs were significantly correlated with peak oxygen uptake. The 9 minute timed run exhibited the highest correlation with peak oxygen uptake followed by the 1600 metre distance run and the 12 minute timed run. Both the 1600 metre distance run and the 12 minute timed run showed significant test-retest reliability correlations, therefore were reliable predictors of peak oxygen uptake in girls 8 to 11 years-of age. The intercorrelations between the timed and distance runs showed the 9 minute timed run and the 1600 metre distance run having the highest degree of relationship followed by the 1600 metre distance run and the 12 minute timed run and finally the 9 minute and 12 minute timed runs. In conclusion both the 1600 metre distance run and the 12 minute timed run were considered to be reliable field tests and predicted peak oxygen uptake in girls 8 to 11 years of age. The 1600 metre distance run exhibited higher validity and reliability correlations and therefore would be the preferred field test of cardiorespiratory fitness in girls 8 to 11 years of age.Education, Faculty ofCurriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department ofGraduat