title: Assessing peak aerobic capacity in Dutch law enforcement officers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To cross-validate the existing peak rate of oxygen consumption (VO2peak) prediction equations in Dutch law enforcement officers and to determine whether these prediction equations can be used to predict VO2peak for groups and in a single individual. A further objective was to report normative absolute and relative VO2peak values of a sample of law enforcement officers in the Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  The peak rate of oxygen consumption (ml×kg-1×min-1) was measured using a maximal incremental bicycle test in 1530 subjects, including 1068 male and 461 female police officers. Validity of the prediction equations for groups was assessed by comparing predicted VO2peak with measured VO2peak using paired t-tests. For individual differences limits of agreement (LoA) were calculated. Equations were considered valid for individuals when the difference between measured and predicted VO2peak did not exceed ±1 metabolic equivalent (MET) in 95% of individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the equations met the validity criterion of 95% of individuals having ±1 MET difference or less than the measured value. Limits of agreement (LoAs) were large in all predictions. At the individual level, none of the equations were valid predictors of VO2peak (ml×kg-1×min-1). Normative values for Dutch law enforcement officers were presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Substantial differences between measured and predicted VO2peak (ml×kg-1×min-1) were found. Most tested equations were invalid predictors of VO2peak at group level and all were invalid at individual levels.
authors.affiliation: Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands (Faculty of Health Care, Lifestyle and Health Research Group). harriet.wittink@hu.nl.
authors.forename: Harriet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wittink
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands (Child Development and Exercise Center, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital).
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takken
authors.affiliation: Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands (Faculty of Health Care, Lifestyle and Health Research Group).
authors.forename: Janke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, The Netherlands (Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Rehabilitation).
authors.forename: Michiel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reneman
authors.affiliation: Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands (Faculty of Health Care, Lifestyle and Health Research Group).
authors.forename: Roelof
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands (Faculty of Health Care, Lifestyle and Health Research Group). Luc.Vanhees@faber.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vanhees
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055686:Metabolic Equivalent / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D016495:Police; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: VO2peak; aerobic capacity; bicycle protocol; law enforcement officers; maximal exercise test; prediction equations