Modified shuttle test-paeds: a valid cardiorespiratory fitness measure for children

Questions: What is the concurrent and predictive validity of the Modified Shuttle Test-Paeds (MSTP); a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness in children that does not require ‘drop-out’ for completion? What is the strength of the relationship between the MSTP and VO2peak, compared to that of the commonly used 20m Multi-Stage-Running-Test (20m-MSRT)? Design: A concurrent validation study. Methods: A convenience sample of 25 school-aged children (age: 6-16 yr; male/female: 19/5; BMI: 21±9 kg/m2) participated in this study. Physical measures included: Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2nd Edition (BOT2), VO2peak, 20m-MSRT and MSTP, body composition and basic anthropometry. Results: Mean cardiorespiratory fitness results included: VO2 peak: 43.8±11.2(mL/kg/min); 20m MSRT: 5.48±2.96 (level); MSTP: 22.10±3.05 (no.). A significant and strong predictive relationship existed between VO2peak and MSTP (r2=0.749, p<0.01). The relationship between VO2peak and 20m MSRT was significant and moderately strong (r2=0.486, p<0.001) Conclusions: The MSTP is a valid measure of cardiorespiratory fitness with a high predictive validity for estimating VO2peak in children, using a simple equation that is clinically applicable. Key Practice Points: • Alternative measures of cardiorespiratory fitness that do not support a ‘drop-out’ nature to testing are sought in QLD schools. • The MSTP is a fun and engaging cardiorespiratory fitness measure that is valid with a strong ability to predict a child’s peak oxygen consumption level from a 3-minute field test. • The MSTP should be considered as an alternative measure for predicting VO2peak, especially in environments where there are sensitivities to measuring cardiorespiratory fitness in children with diverse fitness abilities (e.g. school environments).