Cycle ergometry estimation of physical fitness among Israeli soldiers.
We evaluated the level of fitness among a large population-based sample of Israeli men and women ages 18-25 years, within the framework of an ongoing survey of personnel discharged from military service in the Israel Defense Force. Aerobic capacity was predicted with the Astrand-Rhyming 6-minute cycle ergometer test and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) was estimated using the Astrand-Rhyming nomogram based on cardiac response to 6 minutes of constant submaximal cycle work. Mean +/- SD VO2 max values were 41.05 +/- 10.52 mL/kg/min for men (range, 15-81 mL/kg/min) and 33.84 +/- 7.60 mL/kg/min for women (range, 16-65 mL/kg/min). Smoking was found to be associated with lower VO2 max among both men and women, whereas type of military service unit was unexpectedly not associated with physical fitness level.
Huerta
Michael
M
Israel Defense Force Medical Corps, Military Post 02149, Israel.
Grotto
Itamar
I
Shemla
Samuel
S
Ashkenazi
Isaac
I
Shpilberg
Ofer
O
Kark
Jeremy D
JD
D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking