The Relation Between BMI and Aerobic Capacity Standards
There have been questions about the Aerobic Capacity Healthy Fitness Zone Standards and why individuals
with different BMI values have to perform differently to achieve the Healthy Fitness Zone.
The reason for this is explained below.
As a good start – here is a link to a page that includes links to FAQs, powerpoint presentations and recorded
webinars on the topic of the new aerobic capacity and body composition standards:
http://www.fitnessgram.net/newstandards.
The explanation is in the formula used to estimate VO2max. The aerobic capacity standards for a 10-year old
female are used as an example (the first page of the Estimated Aerobic Capacity (VO2max) Look-up Table
[see page 3 of this document]).
1) Importantly, the aerobic capacity standards all now relate back to VO2max – the “criterion” measure of
aerobic capacity.
2) So – regardless of which test one completes (Mile Run; PACER20 or PACER15), the results are translated into VO2max for comparative purposes.
a. Essentially, the various test performances are equated to arrive at a common VO2max.
3) Look at the 10-year old females’ Estimated Aerobic Capacity (VO2max) Look-up Table (see page 3).
Note at the top that the “Absolute Standard” for VO2max for 10-year old girls is 40.2 ml/kg/min.
4) Everyone to the left of the dark line ACHIEVES the Absolute Standard (40.2).
5) Everyone to the right of the dark line does NOT ACHIEVE the Absolute Standard (40.2).
6) Focus on the top line – Forget BMI for the time being.
7) A mile run time of 13:00 and PACER20 score of 10 and PACER15 of 13 are essentially “equivalent”
with regard to VO2max.
8) BUT WAIT – one’s weight (actually BMI here) also influences the estimated VO2max. The equations for
estimating VO2max include the specific test performance AND BMI.
9) There is a negative relationship between body weight/BMI/Percent fat and VO2max.
a. That is accounted for in the equations for estimating VO2max from the performance score (run time
or PACER laps).
b. There is a negative regression coefficient in the equation associated for weight (BMI).
c. There is a positive regression coefficient in the equation associated with laps.
d. There is a negative regression coefficient in the equation associated with mile time (because a
lower time is better).
© Copyright 2011, The Cooper Institute, Dallas, Texas.
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e. Thus – to achieve the Absolute Standard, one has to take into account the test performance (time or
laps) AND BMI.
The HIGHER the BMI, the more it influences the results of the equation (reduces the estimated
VO2max) and the greater the test performance needs to be to overcome the influence of BMI.
10)When one takes into account BMI – look at the BMIs listed across the top of the page, a person with a
lower BMI can achieve the criterion VO2 more easily than one with a higher BMI.
11)Consider now the person with a BMI of 25 (on the edge of overweight classification from the CDC), this
person must achieve a time of 8:42, or laps of 46 (PACER20), or 60 (PACER15) in order to account for
the influence of the extra body size on VO2max. The greater the BMI, the more that this adjustment
comes into play – thus the black line goes down and to the right as the BMI goes up.
a. To “counter” the influence of the larger body size influence on VO2max, the person must achieve a
better overall performance on the aerobic capacity test.
12)One last thing – look at the BMI values between 6.5 and 19 – essentially, these people WILL MEET
the standard if they simply perform 13:00, 10, or 13 because they are within a healthy weight category.
Thus, their weight does not have to be “overcome” in the equation because it is so much less.
13)Can one who is overweight (or with a high BMI) achieve the Absolute Standard? YES! However, it takes
a much higher performance level for them to have an estimated VO2max because of their higher BMI.
Another issue that comes up is that teachers have difficulty now because they cannot just say to everyone of
a given age, “Here is what you have to do to achieve the HFZ.” This has positive and negative impacts. The
new way is actually more valid but it is a bit more awkward to present to students and parents. Now, because
achievement is a function of their test performance and BMI, this is more difficult to understand. However, students should be encouraged to do their best on the test and not think of “what is the minimum I must do so that
I achieve the HFZ?”
Subsequent to completing the FITNESSGRAM, teachers should be able to tell students who do not achieve
the HFZ, there are two ways in which their performance (and health) can improve, reduce your BMI and/or improve your test performance for your body size. Both of these will result in a higher estimated Aerobic Capacity
(VO2max) for one’s size.
© Copyright 2011, The Cooper Institute, Dallas, Texas.
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