Key result
Multilevel allometric modeling is superior to simple ratio scaling for interpreting youth aerobic fitness, as it appropriately accounts for concurrent changes in age, maturity, and body composition.
The authors argue for the use of allometric scaling over simple ratio scaling when adjusting youth aerobic fitness (peak VO2) for body size and other covariates.
We welcome Raffy Dotan’s Letter to the Editor (14) as it gives us another opportunity to promote evidence-based discussion of the development of youth aerobic fitness. Readers of our contributions to the 2019 Special Issue of Pediatric Exercise Science (6,27,28) will recall that we concluded with, “The authors encourage all pediatric exercise scientists to engage with this discussion, to share ideas and methods, and be willing to explore alternatives. There are many issues to resolve and constructive, collaborative debate will speed our collective aim toward a better understanding of pediatric aerobic fitness in health and disease” (27, p. 256). Not the words of authors preaching a “gospel” with “evangelistic persistence” as Dotan (14) suggests, but of scientists genuinely seeking to stimulate evidence-based discussion of the development of youth aerobic fitness and its relationship with health and well-being.
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Armstrong et al. (2019) conducted a letter in Youth aerobic fitness. Allometric scaling vs. Ratio scaling was evaluated. Multilevel allometric modeling is superior to simple ratio scaling for interpreting youth aerobic fitness, as it appropriately accounts for concurrent changes in age, maturity, and body composition.
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