Is the SPARTACUS 15-15 test an accurate proxy for the assessment and tracking of maximal aerobic capacities in adolescents with obesity?
Alicia Fillon, Maud Miguet, Grace O'Malley and 9 others
PMID 32273651WHAT IT FOUND
After 12 weeks in adolescents with obesity, Spartacus 15-15 changes did not track measured VO2peak changes, although baseline scores related to lab-measured aerobic capacity.
Key findings
01At baseline, VO2peak was significantly correlated with Spartacus last stage (r=0.52), distance (r=0.52), speed (r=0.52) and time (r=0.50), and an equation using last stage, BMI, age and gender estimated VO2peak (r=0.68).
02After the intervention, VO2peak and Spartacus performance improved, but changes in VO2peak and Spartacus were not correlated, and Spartacus changes were not correlated with body composition changes.
03At the stage completed at baseline, heart rate and perceived exertion at follow-up were significantly improved.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only fifty-five adolescents were studied, and the girl/boy distribution was unequal. Participants were 11 to 16 years old and included pre- and post-puberty adolescents, which may influence aerobic capacity. Oxygen consumption was not measured directly during the Spartacus test, so the comparison with laboratory VO2peak relied on separate tests. The baseline correlations between Spartacus performance and VO2peak were moderate, not exact. All participants received diet education, normo-caloric diet, exercise sessions, recreational activities or sport games, nutritional education and psychological support together, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not use a change in Spartacus performance as a proxy for a change in VO2peak after weight loss. The Spartacus and VO2peak improvements were significant, but their changes were not correlated.