title: Cycle ergometry estimation of physical fitness among Israeli soldiers.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Israel Defense Force Medical Corps, Military Post 02149, Israel.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huerta
authors.forename: Itamar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grotto
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shemla
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ashkenazi
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Shpilberg
authors.forename: Jeremy D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kark
mesh_terms: 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