title: Contribution of body composition and physical activity to age-related decline in peak VO2 in men and women.
abstract: We examined the contribution of variations in body composition and leisure time physical activity to the age-related decline in peak oxygen consumption (VO2) in men and women. Healthy males 17-80 yr old (n = 378) and females 18-81 yr old (n = 224) were characterized for peak VO2 from a treadmill test to exhaustion, fat-free mass and fat mass by underwater weighing, and leisure time physical activity. Peak VO2 showed a greater absolute decline (P < 0.05) with age in males (r = -0.70, slope = -0.034 l.min-1.yr-1; P < 0.01) than in females (r = -0.78, slope = -0.028 l.min-1.yr-1; P < 0.01). After statistically controlling for differences in fat-free mass and fat mass, the decline in peak VO2 was diminished in both sexes, although a greater rate of decline persisted in males (r = -0.47, slope = -0.016 l.min-1.yr-1; P < 0.01) than in females (r = -0.39, slope = -0.009 l.min-1.yr-1; P < 0.01). We found that the addition of leisure time physical activity (independent of body composition) to the regression model further attenuated the rate of decline in males (r = -0.40, slope = -0.013 l.min-1.yr-1; P < 0.01) but did not alter the age-related decline in peak VO2 in females (r = -0.39, slope = -0.009 l.min-1.yr-1; P < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Gerontology Research Education, University of Maryland.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ades
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Poehlman
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics