title: The Andersen aerobic fitness test: reliability and validity in 10-year-old children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High aerobic fitness is consistently associated with a favorable metabolic risk profile in children. Direct measurement of peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) is often not feasible, thus indirect tests such as the Andersen test are required in many settings. The present study seeks to determine the reliability and validity of the Andersen test in 10-year-old children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 118 10-year-old children (67 boys and 51 girls) were recruited from one school and performed four VO2peak tests over three weeks: three Andersen tests (indirect) and one continuous progressive treadmill test (direct). Of these, 104 children provided valid data on all Andersen tests and 103 children also provided valid data on the direct treadmill test. Reliability and validity were assessed using Bland Altman plots and linear regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bias (mean change) and random error (limits of agreement) were 26.7±125.2 m for test 2 vs. test 1 (p<.001 for mean difference) and 3.9±88.8 m for test 3 vs. test 2 (p = .514 for mean difference). The equation to estimate VO2peak suggested by Andersen et al. (2008) showed a poor fit in the present sample; thus, we suggest a new equation: VO2peak = 23.262+0.050*Andersen distance -3.858*gender -0.376*body weight (R2 = 0.61, standard error of the estimate = 5.69, p<.001, boys = 0, girls = 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Andersen test provided reliable and valid data on a group level. However, a substantial degree of individual variability was found for estimates of VO2peak. Researchers should be aware of the amount of noise in indirect tests that estimate aerobic fitness.
authors.affiliation: Sogn og Fjordane University College, Faculty of Health Studies, Førde, Norway.
authors.forename: Eivind
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aadland
authors.affiliation: Sogn og Fjordane University College, Faculty of Teacher Education and Sports, Sogndal, Norway.
authors.forename: Torkil
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terum
authors.affiliation: Sogn og Fjordane University College, Faculty of Teacher Education and Sports, Sogndal, Norway; University College of Health Sciences - Campus Kristiania, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Asgeir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mamen
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway; Department of Sport Sciences and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lars Bo
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Sogn og Fjordane University College, Faculty of Teacher Education and Sports, Sogndal, Norway; Sogn og Fjordane Center for Health Research, Førde Central Hospital, Førde, Norway.
authors.forename: Geir Kåre
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Resaland
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012420:Running