title: Validity and reliability of the Huet questionnaire to assess maximal oxygen uptake.
abstract: The usual fitness tests available to assess maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), a key fitness component, are not particularly useful for epidemiological studies. Questionnaires to assess VO2max, however, are simple, easy to use, and inexpensive. In 1986, Huet developed such a French general questionnaire, which now also has an English version. Its simplicity is interesting as it could be used to survey large populations. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of this Huet questionnaire in a sample of healthy French volunteers. A total of 108 subjects were included in this study, 88 males and 20 females. The validity of the questionnaire was checked using correlation coefficients and a Bland-Altman plot between questionnaire estimations and measures of VO2max obtained with a stress test on a cycle ergometer. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was also calculated to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. Significant correlation was obtained with the Huet questionnaire and measured VO2max (r2 = 0.77, p = 0.0001, SEE = 5.97 ml x kg (-1 ) x min- (1), n = 108). The ICC showed very high reliability (ICC= 0.988, n = 21). The Huet questionnaire is an easy, rapidly administered tool that correlated highly with VO2 max in this sample population.
authors.affiliation: Unité PPEH-GIP E2S EA 3062, Faculté de Médecine, Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne cedex 2, France.
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trivel
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calmels
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Léger
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Busso
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Devillard
authors.forename: Josiane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castells
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Denis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires