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BMC Pediatrics
Published in: BMC Pediatrics 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Six Minute Walk Test | Research

Reference values for the 6-min walking test in children and adolescents living in a moderate altitude region of Peru

Authors: Jose Sulla-Torres, Rubén Vidal-Espinoza, Christopher Avendaño-Llanque, Alexander Calla-Gamboa, Manuel Zúñiga-Carnero, Rossana Gomez-Campos, Marco Cossio-Bolaños

Published in: BMC Pediatrics | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

The assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness is important because it allows the identification of subgroups with poor health status and the targeting of effective intervention strategies to improve health.

Objective

To compare the cardiorespiratory capacity of children and adolescents living in a moderate altitude region of Peru with international studies and to develop reference values for the 6-min walk test (6MWT) according to age and sex.

Methodology

A descriptive cross-sectional study of schoolchildren from a region of moderate altitude in Peru was carried out. A total of 704 schoolchildren (400 males and 304 females) with an age range of 6 to 17 years were studied. Weight, standing height, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI) and tri-ponderal mass index (TMI) were evaluated. The 6MWT was assessed in a straight line over a distance of 30 m. Percentiles were created through the LMS method [L (skewness: lambda), M (median: mu) and S (coefficient of variation: Mu)].

Results

There were discrepancies in cardiorespiratory fitness performance with international studies by age and sex. The schoolchildren in the study reached stability and the highest number of meters in the last two age ranges (14 to 15 years: 698.1 m and 16 to 17 years 686.3 m in males). While females (14 to 15 years: 698.1 m and 16 to 17 years: 686.3 m). The proposed percentile values show ascending values as age advances. The cut-off points adopted are: low cardiorespiratory fitness < p25, moderate p25 to p75 and high cardiorespiratory fitness p > 75.

Conclusion

We verified that the cardiorespiratory fitness evaluated by means of the 6MWT is ascending with the course of age. Even the performance with other countries is heterogeneous at early and middle ages, stabilizing during adolescence. The proposed reference values can be used to evaluate and monitor cardiorespiratory fitness during physical education classes.
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Metadata
Title
Reference values for the 6-min walking test in children and adolescents living in a moderate altitude region of Peru
Authors
Jose Sulla-Torres
Rubén Vidal-Espinoza
Christopher Avendaño-Llanque
Alexander Calla-Gamboa
Manuel Zúñiga-Carnero
Rossana Gomez-Campos
Marco Cossio-Bolaños
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pediatrics / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2431
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-023-04459-3

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