title: Long maximal incremental tests accurately assess aerobic fitness in class II and III obese men.
abstract: This study aimed to compare two different maximal incremental tests with different time durations [a maximal incremental ramp test with a short time duration (8-12 min) (STest) and a maximal incremental test with a longer time duration (20-25 min) (LTest)] to investigate whether an LTest accurately assesses aerobic fitness in class II and III obese men. Twenty obese men (BMI≥35 kg.m-2) without secondary pathologies (mean±SE; 36.7±1.9 yr; 41.8±0.7 kg*m-2) completed an STest (warm-up: 40 W; increment: 20 W*min-1) and an LTest [warm-up: 20% of the peak power output (PPO) reached during the STest; increment: 10% PPO every 5 min until 70% PPO was reached or until the respiratory exchange ratio reached 1.0, followed by 15 W.min-1 until exhaustion] on a cycle-ergometer to assess the peak oxygen uptake [Formula: see text] and peak heart rate (HRpeak) of each test. There were no significant differences in [Formula: see text] (STest: 3.1±0.1 L*min-1; LTest: 3.0±0.1 L*min-1) and HRpeak (STest: 174±4 bpm; LTest: 173±4 bpm) between the two tests. Bland-Altman plot analyses showed good agreement and Pearson product-moment and intra-class correlation coefficients showed a strong correlation between [Formula: see text] (r=0.81 for both; p≤0.001) and HRpeak (r=0.95 for both; p≤0.001) during both tests. [Formula: see text] and HRpeak assessments were not compromised by test duration in class II and III obese men. Therefore, we suggest that the LTest is a feasible test that accurately assesses aerobic fitness and may allow for the exercise intensity prescription and individualization that will lead to improved therapeutic approaches in treating obesity and severe obesity.
authors: Institute of Sport Sciences University of Lausanne (ISSUL), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Lanzi
authors: Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Codecasa
authors: Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Cornacchia
authors: Molecolar Biology Laboratory, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Maestrini
authors: Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Unit and Clinical Lab for Gait and Posture Analysis, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Capodaglio
authors: Medicine Rehabilitation Department, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
authors: Amelia
authors: A
authors: Brunani
authors: Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Fanari
authors: Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Salvadori
authors: Institute of Sport Sciences University of Lausanne (ISSUL), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors: Davide
authors: D
authors: Malatesta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors