Abstract: | In a randomly selected sample of 88 men and 115 women, aged 23–27 years from Denmark, maximal oxygen uptake (
O2max), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) in four muscle groups and physical activity were studied. The
O2max was 48.0 ml · min–1 kg–1 and 39.6 ml · min–1 · kg–1 for the men and the women, respectively. The MVC was 10% lower than in a comparable group of Danes of the same age and height studied 35 years ago. Only in men was sports activity directly related to
O2max (ml · min–1 · kg–1; r=0.31, P<0.01). The MVC of the knee extensors was related to
O2max in the men (r=0.31, P<0.01), but there was no relationship between the other measurements of MVC and
O2max. In the women
O2max (ml · min–1 · kg–1) was only related to body size, i.e. body mass index, percentage body fat and body mass (r= –0.47, –0.48 (both P<0.001) and –0.34. (P<0.01), respectively)]. There were differences in
O2max in the men, according to education and occupation. Blue collar workers and subjects attending vocational or trade schools in 1983 had lower
O2max and more of them were physically inactive. In the women differences were also found, but there was no clear pattern among the groups. More of the women participated regularly in sports activity, but more of the men were very active compared to the women. |