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The purpose of this study was to assess and quantify the health outcomes associated with a moderate-intensity (50% V̇o2R) exercise program designed to achieve the American College of Sports Medicine net caloric expenditure guideline of 1,000 kcal⋅wk-1. Fifteen apparently healthy but sedentary premenopausal women with the baseline characteristics (mean ± SD age, height, weight, body composition, and V̇o2max: 37.4 ± 6.3yr, 166.2 ± 6.2 cm, 72.1 ± 11.2 kg, 32.5 ± 5.8%, and 34.8 ± 5.8 mL⋅kg-1⋅min-1, respectively) participated in and completed the study. Exercise training was performed 3-4 days per week for 10 weeks in a progressive manner at moderate intensity (50% V̇o2R). There were significant (P < 0.05) improvements in V̇o2max (+2.5 mL⋅kg-1⋅min-1), systolic (-13.7 mm Hg) and diastolic (-6.4 mm Hg) blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (+3.2 mg⋅dL-1), fasting blood glucose (∼4.9 mg⋅dL-1), and percent body fat (-1.6%). Although the American College of Sports Medicine specifies that the energy expenditure goal should be a net caloric expenditure of 1,000 kcal⋅wk-1 and classifies relative moderate intensity as 40-59% of heart rate reserve or V̇o2R, we are unaware of any previous investigations that have examined the specific health outcomes associated with an exercise program fulfilling these requirements. Results indicate that significant health benefits will be conferred to previously sedentary, premenopausal women who engage in a moderate-intensity, 10-week exercise program designed to fulfill the net energy expenditure guideline of 1,000 kcal⋅wk-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to develop an equation to predict O2max from a submaximal elliptical cross-trainer test. Fifty-four apparently healthy subjects (25 men and 29 women, mean ± SD age: 29.5 ± 7.1 years, height: 173.3 ± 12.6 cm, weight: 72.3 ± 7.9 kg, percent body fat: 17.3 ± 5.0%, and elliptical cross-trainer O2max: 43.9 ± 7.2 ml·kg-1·min-1) participated in the study and were randomly assigned to an original sample group (n = 40) and a cross-validation group (n = 14). Each subject completed an elliptical cross-trainer submaximal (3 5-minute submaximal stages) and a O2max test on the same day, with a 15-minute rest period in between. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to develop an equation for estimating elliptical cross-trainer O2max from the data of the original sample group. The accuracy of the equation was tested by using data from the cross-validation group. Because there was no shrinkage in R2 between the original sample group and the cross-validation group, data were combined in the final prediction equation (R2 = 0.732, standard error of the estimate = 3.91 ml·kg-1·min-1, p < 0.05): O2max = 73.676 + 7.383(gender) - 0.317(weight) + 0.003957(age·cadence) - 0.006452(age·heart rate at stage 2). The correlation coefficient between the predicted and measured O2max values was r = 0.86. Dependent t-tests resulted in no significant differences (p > 0.05) between predicted (43.8 ml·kg-1·min-1) and measured (43.9 ml·kg-1·min-1) O2max measurements. Results indicate that the protocol and equation developed in the current study can be used by exercise professionals to provide acceptably accurate estimates of O2max in non-laboratory-based settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) walking equation at low walking speeds, altitude (1,550 m), and higher grades. Twenty men and women (mean ± SD, age, 28 ± 6 years; height, 171 ± 13 cm; weight, 67.8 ± 18.1 kg) completed 2 randomized testing sessions under altitude (AL) (PIO2 = 123.1 mm Hg [20.93%]) and sea level control (SLC) (PIO2 = 147.3 mm Hg [25.00%]) conditions. Steady-state oxygen uptake (VO2) was measured while subjects walked at 50 m·min-1 at 8 separate grades (0, 5, 10, 15, 18, 21, 24, and 27%). Steady-state VO2 measurements from the last 2 minutes of each grade in AL and SLC were compared to the predicted VO2 of each grade according to the ACSM walking equation. Mean VO2 differences between predicted and AL values ranged from 20.5 to 1.4 ml·kg21·min-1, averaged 20.1 ml·kg-1·min-1 across all grades, and were significant (p < 0.05) at 0 percent grade. Mean VO2 differences between predicted and SLC values ranged from 0.6 to 3.0 ml·kg-1·min-1, averaged 1.4 ml·kg-1·min-1 across all grades, and were statistically significant (p < 0.05) at 0 and 5 percent. The standard error of the estimate (SEE) for the prediction of VO2 under AL and SLC were 2.2 and 2.0 ml·kg-1·min-1, respectively. Total errors for the prediction of VO2max under AL and SLC were 2.3 and 2.6 ml·kg-1·min-1, respectively. Overall, the findings indicate that the current ACSM prediction equation for walking is appropriate for application at low speeds, moderate altitude, and higher grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]