title: Validation of the Rockport Fitness Walking Test for adults with mental retardation.
abstract: This study determined if the generalized equations created for the Rockport Fitness Walking Test were a valid estimation of cardiorespiratory fitness for adults with mental retardation (MR). Subjects included 25 males and females (mean age = 33.3 +/- 7.4 yr) with MR. A maximal treadmill test was administered (mean VO2peak = 29.5 +/- 7.2 ml.kg-1 x min-1; 2.2 +/- 0.62 l.min-1). Subjects' age, weight, sex, walk time, and immediate post-HR were used in the generalized equations for predicting VO2peak (mean VO2peak = 36.5 +/- 7.6 ml.kg-1 x min-1 and 2.7 +/- 0.66 l.min-1). Significant correlations (P < 0.01) were obtained between the measured and predicted peak VO2 levels. However, significant and consistent differences were also observed between the measured and predicted VO2peak values (P < 0.02). Only 28% (l.min-1) and 36% (ml.kg-1 x min-1) of the subjects' measured VO2peak fell within the prespecified value of the predicted VO2peak, thus indicating that the prediction equations overestimated the VO2peak and cardiovascular fitness levels of adults with MR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, Northern Illinois University, De Kalb 60115.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kittredge
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Rimmer
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Looney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*