What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Healthy (n=685). Intervention: YMCA 3-minute step test vs. Western, Indian and ACSM reference standards. Primary outcome: VO2 max (mL/kg/min) (p=<0.05).

May 10, 2026Open Access

Reference values for maximum oxygen consumption (VO 2 max) in Sri Lankan young population aged 20–25 years

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Mean VO2 max in Sri Lankan young adults was 45.05 mL/kg/min for males and 36.02 mL/kg/min for females, comparable to Indian standards but significantly lower than Western values (p<0.05).

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Mean VO2 max in Sri Lankan young adults is 45.05 mL/kg/min for males and 36.02 mL/kg/min for females, which is comparable to Indian standards but significantly lower than Western values. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aimed to establish baseline reference values for maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) in young adults aged 20-25 years in Sri Lanka.

Key Result

Mean VO2 max in Sri Lankan young adults was 45.05 mL/kg/min for males and 36.02 mL/kg/min for females, comparable to Indian standards but significantly lower than Western values (p<0.05).

Key Points

This study aimed to establish baseline reference values for maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) in young adults aged 20-25 years in Sri Lanka.
Conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study among 685 healthy undergraduates from the University of Peradeniya.
VO2 max was assessed using the YMCA 3-minute step test.
Data analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics V.22 to determine VO2 max percentiles and compare them with existing standards.
Mean VO2 max for males was 45.05±3.13 mL/kg/min and for females was 36.02±2.49 mL/kg/min.
Sri Lankan VO2 max values were significantly lower than Western standards (p<0.05).
Percentiles classified aerobic performance from ‘very poor’ to ‘superior’ based on ACSM guidelines.

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=685)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Population

685 healthy undergraduates aged 20–25 years from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Intervention

Assessment of VO2 max using the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) 3-minute step test

Comparator

Western, Indian, and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) reference standards

Outcome

VO2 max reference values and percentilessurrogate

This study establishes the first VO2 max reference values for Sri Lankan young adults, demonstrating lower aerobic capacity compared to Western populations but similarities to Indian populations.

Main Result

p-value: p=<0.05

Limitations

Does not represent the entire population across all age groups in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background Cardiovascular endurance, as measured by maximum oxygen consumption (VO 2 max), is an important indicator of overall physical fitness and cardiovascular health. While VO₂max reference values exist for Western and Indian populations, Sri Lanka lacks specific data, which may lead to inaccuracies in assessing and interpreting cardiovascular fitness among young adults in the country. Objectives This study aimed to establish reference values for VO 2 max among young adults in Sri Lanka and to compare these values with the standards of Western, Indian and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 685 healthy undergraduates aged 20–25 years from various faculties of the University of Peradeniya. VO 2 max was assessed using the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) 3-minute step test. The collected data were analysed with IBM SPSS Statistics V.22 to determine VO 2 max percentiles and to identify significant differences between Sri Lankan, Western, Indian and ACSM reference standards. Results The study found mean±SD (SD) VO 2 max of 45.05±3.13 mL/kg/min for males and 36.02±2.49 mL/kg/min for females. Sri Lankan VO 2 max values were generally comparable to Indian standards but significantly lower than Western values (p<0.05). Percentile analysis further classified VO 2 max values for males and females, establishing performance ranging from ‘very poor’ to ‘superior’ according to the ACSM guidelines. Conclusion This study provides reference values for VO 2 max in Sri Lankan young adults, supporting more accurate cardiovascular fitness assessments in clinical and fitness settings. These findings reveal significant differences in aerobic capacity across Sri Lankan and Western populations, as well as similarities between Sri Lankan and Indian populations. This study should be further improved to represent the entire population across all age groups in Sri Lanka, thereby enabling the development of more accurate, separate reference standards.