Validation of the Rockport Fitness Walking Test in college males and females.

The purposes of this study were (a) to validate the Rockport Fitness Walking Test (RFWT) in college students, and (b) to develop prediction equations on this college sample if the RFWT proved invalid. Subjects were administered a test to determine maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) on a treadmill and the RFWT in a field testing environment. Comparisons were made between the measured VO2max and the VO2max predicted from the equations of Kline, Porcari, Hintermeister, et al. (1987). The Kline, Porcari, Hintermeister, et al. equations overpredicted VO2max by 16-18% in the males and by 22-23% in the females. The correlation coefficients between the measured and predicted VO2max values ranged from .39 to .59. Derivation of new prediction equations using the same variables as in the RFWT produced only one equation that had sufficient accuracy to recommend its use. It was concluded that the original RFWT overpredicts VO2max in college students and should not be used with this population.