Estimating VO₂max With the Timed Mile Run: An Updated Equation for Today's Youth.

Authors

Lynn Gao, Veronica Berrocal, Amanda Woodworth, Hannah R Thompson, Margaret Schneider

Published in

The Journal of school health. Volume 96. Issue 10. Pages e70246.

Abstract

School-based physical fitness testing (SB-PFT) is an important tool to address youth physical inactivity. However, the widely used Fitnessgram equation that converts timed mile run performance into estimates of cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂max) may not be valid for today's diverse US adolescent population. This study evaluated its validity, developed updated prediction equations, and examined the effect of omitting sex and/or BMI.
A diverse sample of middle school students (n = 177) provided demographic information and timed mile run data and completed lab-based VO₂max testing. Prediction accuracy for the Fitnessgram equation and newly-developed equations was assessed using root mean square error (RMSE), Pearson's correlation, and sensitivity and specificity.
In this diverse sample, all four new VO₂max prediction equations outperformed the Fitnessgram equation, including equations excluding sex and/or BMI.
When evaluated on a diverse sample of adolescents, the Fitnessgram misclassifies many adolescents as being in the healthy fitness zone despite having cardiorespiratory fitness levels associated with elevated health risk.
The Fitnessgram VO₂max prediction equation should be updated to reflect contemporary US demographics and schools' concerns about collecting BMI data.

PMID:
42791031
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 26 Sep 2026.

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