title: Reference values of the 6-minute walk test in healthy Turkish children and adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Normal values of the 6-min walk distance (6MWD) for children have not been well demonstrated. This limits the interpretation of the 6MWD in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional prospective study was designed. A total of 949 (467 males, 482 females) healthy children were recruited randomly from 7 Turkish secondary schools in Ankara. The 6-min walk tests were conducted according to the American Thoracic Society guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean 6MWD decreased between the ages of 12 and 14 y for both boys and girls, and then gradually increased until 17 y of age. In the best fitting and most efficient linear, quadratic, and categorical regression models, the age of the subjects, heart rate after the test, and physical activity level of the subjects were significantly related to the 6MWD. Nevertheless, these variables explained < 20% of the variance in the 6MWD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 6MWD does not increase in a straight linear fashion from the age of 12 until adulthood. Correlation of the 6MWD with anthropometric features is very weak, so in evaluating the 6MWD, the standard curves should be used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Fatih University Medical School, Ankara.
authors.forename: Mehmet Kenan
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kanburoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Sciences, Baskent University, Ankara.
authors.forename: Fevzi Murat
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Gazi University Medical School, Ankara.
authors.forename: Secil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Gazi University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma Sedef
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Tunaoglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D014421:Turkey; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: child; exercise capacity; exercise test; obesity; physical activity