Abstract
Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a health-related fitness parameter. The assessment of CRF is valuable while educating individuals about their overall fitness status and quantifying cardiovascular risk. Aerobic capacity or VO2max is accurate parameter of cardiorespiratory fitness, measured by direct as well as indirect methods. Estimation of VO2max by exercise test in large population becomes difficult. To overcome these difficulties calculating VO2max by non-exercise test is suggested. These tests are very useful in low-infrastructure setup, less costly and easy to apply. They are better to use in children & geriatric populations.

Aims & Objective: To compare estimation VO2max by non-exercise test with exercise test so that validity of non-exercise test can be explored.

Materials and Methods: VO2max was estimated by exercise protocol using Queens College step test & non-exercise protocol using the NASA/Johnson Space Centre Physical Activity Rating (PA-R) scale. In 60 healthy I MBBS students (30 Boys, 30 Girls). VO2max values obtained by both methods were compared using appropriate statistical test (unpaired t test). P value of <0.05 was considered as significant.

Results: In malesVO2max values obtained by exercise protocol is 46.04 ± 9.65 ml/kg/min & by non-exercise protocol is 50.42 ± 8.37 ml/kg/min while in females VO2max values obtained by exercise protocol is 37.68 ± 6.80 ml/kg/min & by non-exercise protocol is 36.80 ± 5 ml/kg/min.

Conclusion: In our study, we have found that estimation of VO2max by non-exercise protocol to be as accurate as its estimation by exercise protocol. So, one can conclude that non-exercise protocols can be used for estimation of VO2max in populations who may not be able to undergo exercise protocols.

Key words: Aerobic Capacity (VO2max); Queen’s College Step Test; Non-Exercise Test (Nasa/Johnson Space Centre Physical Activity Rating (PA-R) Scale)