Maximal O2 uptake of boys and girls — ages 14–17

Summary White high school girls (n = 120) and boys (n = 120) aged 14–17 years, selected from 9th, 10th, 11th and 12 grades of a northern, midwest U.S. high school performed running exercise on a motor driven treadmill for determinations of maximal O₂ uptake ( O₂ max).The mean O₂ max for all age groups was 40.8±4.0 and 54.7±5.6 ml/kg·min^–1 for girls and boys respectively. The difference in O₂ max across age groups varied only from 40.2–41.2 ml/kg·min^–1 for girls and 54.0–56.3 ml/kg·min^–1 for boys. These differences were not significant (P>0.05). The reported O₂ max data are compared with those reported in other studies for bicycle ergometer and treadmill exercise using similar age groups.