Exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness

Abstract

This study describes the relation between types and frequency of exercises and cardiopulmonary fitness. Of the 255 subjects studied, 69 (27·1%) were non-exercisers, 66 (25·9%) exercised 1 to 2 times/week, 82 (32·1%) exercised 3 to 4 times/week and 38 (14·9%) exercised 5 to 7 times/week. Of the exercisers, 131 (51·3%) subjects were engaged in aerobic exercises and 55 (21·7%) in non-aerobic activities for at least 6 months prior to this study. The 2·4–km run test and the maximum oxygen consumption (V˙O₂ max) determination were used as indicators of aerobic performance or cardiopulmonary fitness. The V˙O₂ max was measured by direct analyses of the expired gases of subjects using a Beckman Metabolic Cart during an all-out run on a treadmill. Regular exercisers who exercised three or more times/week were aerobically fitter than non-exercisers (p< 0·001) and those who exercised less frequently than three times/week (p<0·001). Subjects involved in aerobic exercises had significantly shorter mean 2·4-km run times (p< 0·001) and higher mean V˙O₂ max values (p< 0·001) when compared with non-exercisers or those engaged in non-aerobic activities.