The prediction of fitness levels of United States Air Force officers: validation of cycle ergometry.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the accuracy of the United States Air Force cycle ergometer test (CET) to predict maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) of Air Force officers. The United States Air Force is currently evaluating cardiovascular fitness by cycle ergometry. In order to validate the accuracy of the CET, 50 male Air Force officers who were attending professional military education at Maxwell AFB were evaluated by a maximal treadmill Bruce test and open circuit spirometry. Characteristics of the subjects included the following mean values +/- SD: VO2max = 47.9 +/- 10.3 ml.kg-1.minute-1; age = 39.3 +/- 3.9 years; weight = 76.9 +/- 9.5 kg; height = 176.4 +/- 8.8 cm; percent fat = 20 +/- 9%; heart rate max = 174 +/- 10 beats.minute-1; and respiratory exchange ratio = 1.09 +/- 0.09. The predicted VO2max with the cycle ergometer test was 39.9 +/- 9.8 ml.kg-1.minute-1. The following product-moment correlation was derived between criterion VO2max (maximal treadmill test and the CET: r = 0.74 and standard error of estimate = 6.9 ml.kg-1.minute-1). A repeated measures analysis of variance between the CET and maximal treadmill test found a significant mean difference of 8.0 ml.kg-1.minute-1 (p < 0.0001). The CET significantly underpredicted fitness levels of Air Force officers. Based upon Air Force standards, the CET underpredicted oxygen uptake values by approximately one fitness category or 17%.