OBJECTIVE: The identification of populational levels of maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) is an aid to studies that propose to relate physical fitness to cardiovascular risk, and also for prescribing exercise and analyzing the effects of training. To date, there is no information with which this parameter can be classified in samples of adolescents from the Brazilian population. This study is, therefore, the first to propose the determination of mean VO2max levels in a sample of the Brazilian population. METHODS: A sample of 380 schoolchildren (177 boys and 203 girls, aged 10 to 14 years) was selected at random from public schools in Vitória, ES. After anthropometric assessment they underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing, VO2max was measured directly and results were classified according to quintiles calculated from the study sample. RESULTS: The mean VO2max values observed ranged from 42.95 to 49.55 mL.kg-1.min-1 for boys and from 36.76 to 38.29 mL.kg-1.min-1 for girls. CONCLUSIONS: This paper proposes mean VO2max ranges as a classification parameter for cardiorespiratory fitness, in addition to contributing to a definition of normal values for the Brazilian population. This classification will also be of use for establishing cutoff points in future studies.
Maximum oxygen uptake; adolescents; aerobic fitness; cardiopulmonary exercise testing
