Longitudinal variations in maximal oxygen intake with age and activity.

variations in maximal oxygen intake with age and activity. J. Appl. Phys-iol. 33(6) : 805407. 1972.--Maximal oxygen intake was measured during a multistage-treadmill test in 86 healthy men be-tween 40 and 72 years of age. Forty had previous determinations 2.3 years earlier. Cross-sectional data revealed an average annual decrement in ~OZ rrlaxof- 0.28 ml/(kg.min);combined datafrom 17 cross-sectional studies averaged (- 0.40 ml/(kg emin) per year). Our longitudinal data revealed an annual decrement (-0.94 ml/(kg amin)) which was significantly greater and compared re-markably well with two other longitudinal studies. Differences in weight-adjusted Voz M8X with aging relate to uncontrolled popula-tion truncation with cross-sectional sampling; changes in body weight and composition contribute less significantly. Stratification according to habitual physical activity revealed that sedentary men experience a threefold greater decline in BOB,,, than do habitual