Maximal oxygen consumption of Colombian women of differing socioeconomic status

Maximal oxygen consumption (\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}$ {\rm \dot V}_{{\rm O}_2 } $ max) was measured directly by a treadmill protocol in 23 upper (UEC) and 23 lower (LEC) socioeconomic women, 19–37 years of age, living in Cali, Colombia. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}$ {\rm \dot V}_{{\rm O}_2 } $ max (liters/min). LEC women were shorter and weighed less than UEC subjects, although there was no evidence of undernutrition in the former at the time of testing. The aerobic power of the LEC group was 33.7 ± 4.1 ml/kg · min (mean ± SD) compared to 32.0 ± 2.8 ml/kg · min in UEC women (P = 0.09). From data on 36 of the women, a multiple stepwise regression was used to derive an empirical equation for estimating \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}$ {\rm \dot V}_{{\rm O}_2 } $ max from submaximal \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}$ {\rm \dot V}_{{\rm O}_2 } $ and heart rate plus anthropometric variables. The derived equation was verified by application to an independent group of 10 subjects.