Validity of the Step Test for Exercise Prescription Does Not Extend to a Larger Age Range

摘要

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of a submaximal exercise test, the Step Test Exercise Prescription (STEP), in a broad age range and in individuals in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Individuals (n = 102) underwent treadmill-based maximal exercise testing and a STEP. The STEP failed to predict peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak), and was a biased estimate of VO2 peak (p < .0001). Only 43% of subjects' STEP results were within 3.5 ml × kg⁻¹ × min⁻¹ of VO2 peak. When categorized into fitness levels these two measures demonstrated moderate agreement (kappa = .59). The validity of the STEP was not supported in our participants, including those with AD. The STEP may not be appropriate in the clinic as a basis for exercise recommendations in these groups, though it may continue to have utility classifying fitness in research or community health screenings.