Long Maximal Incremental Tests Accurately Assess Aerobic Fitness in Class II and III Obese Men

This study aimed to compare two different maximal incremental tests with different time durations [a maximal incremental ramp test with a short time duration (8-12 min) (S(Test)) and a maximal incremental test with a longer time duration (20-25 min) (L(Test))] to investigate whether an L(Test) accurately assesses aerobic fitness in class II and III obese men. Twenty obese men (BMI≥35 kg.m-2) without secondary pathologies (mean±SE; 36.7±1.9 yr; 41.8±0.7 kg*m(-2)) completed an S(Test) (warm-up: 40 W; increment: 20 W*min-1) and an L(Test) [warm-up: 20% of the peak power output (PPO) reached during the S(Test); increment: 10% PPO every 5 min until 70% PPO was reached or until the respiratory exchange ratio reached 1.0, followed by 15 W.min(-1) until exhaustion] on a cycle-ergometer to assess the peak oxygen uptake [Image: see text] and peak heart rate (HR(peak)) of each test. There were no significant differences in [Image: see text] (S(Test): 3.1±0.1 L*min(-1); L(Test): 3.0±0.1 L*min(-1)) and HR(peak) (S(Test): 174±4 bpm; L(Test): 173±4 bpm) between the two tests. Bland-Altman plot analyses showed good agreement and Pearson product-moment and intra-class correlation coefficients showed a strong correlation between [Image: see text] (r=0.81 for both; p≤0.001) and HR(peak) (r=0.95 for both; p≤0.001) during both tests. [Image: see text] and HR(peak) assessments were not compromised by test duration in class II and III obese men. Therefore, we suggest that the L(Test) is a feasible test that accurately assesses aerobic fitness and may allow for the exercise intensity prescription and individualization that will lead to improved therapeutic approaches in treating obesity and severe obesity.