HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free All Versions of this Article: 100/6/1851    most recent 01213.2005v1 Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (8) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tolfrey, K. Articles by Batterham, A. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tolfrey, K. Articles by Batterham, A. M.

Scaling of maximal oxygen uptake by lower leg muscle volume in boys and men

¹Department of Exercise and Sport Science, IRM, Manchester Metropolitan University, Alsager; and ²Centre for Food, Physical Activity, and Obesity Research, School of Health and Social Care, University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom

Submitted 22 September 2005 ; accepted in final form 10 February 2006

The aim of this study was to critically examine the influence of body size on maximal oxygen uptake (O_{2 max}) in boys and men using body mass (BM), estimated fat-free mass (FFM), and estimated lower leg muscle volume (Vol) as the separate scaling variables. O_{2 max} and an in vivo measurement of Vol were assessed in 15 boys and 14 men. The FFM was estimated after percentage body fat had been predicted from population-specific skinfold measurements. By using nonlinear allometric modeling, common body size exponents for BM, FFM, and Vol were calculated. The point estimates for the size exponent (95% confidence interval) from the separate allometric models were: BM 0.79 (0.53–1.06), FFM 1.00 (0.78–1.22), and Vol 0.64 (0.40–0.88). For the boys, substantial residual size correlations were observed for O_{2 max}/BM^0.79 and O_{2 max}/FFM^1.00, indicating that these variables did not correctly partition out the influence of body size. In contrast, scaling by Vol^0.64 led to no residual size correlation in boys or men. Scaling by BM is confounded by heterogeneity of body composition and potentially substantial differences in the mass exponent between boys and men. The FFM is precluded as an index of involved musculature because Vol did not represent a constant proportion of FFM [VolFFM^1.45 (95% confidence interval, 1.13–1.77)] in the boys (unlike the men). We conclude that Vol, as an indicator of the involved muscle mass, is the most valid allometric denominator for the scaling of O_{2 max} in a sample of boys and men heterogeneous for body size and composition.

oxygen uptake; allometry; magnetic resonance imaging

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. R. Barker, J. R. Welsman, J. Fulford, D. Welford, and N. Armstrong Muscle phosphocreatine kinetics in children and adults at the onset and offset of moderate-intensity exercise J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2008; 105(2): 446 - 456. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Tolfrey, A. Barker, J. M Thom, C. I. Morse, M. V. Narici, and A. M. Batterham REPLY TO BAKER AND DAVIES J Appl Physiol, November 1, 2006; 101(5): 1535 - 1535. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Nevill, R. Holder, G. Markovic, K. Tolfrey, A. Barker, J. M. Thom, C. I. Morse, M. V. Narici, and A. M. Batterham Scaling maximum oxygen uptake using lower leg muscle volume provides further insight into the pitfalls of whole body-mass power laws J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2006; 101(3): 1006 - 1007. [Full Text] [PDF]