Estimating excess post-exercise oxygen consumption using multiple linear regression in healthy Korean adults: a pilot study

[PURPOSE]: This pilot study aimed to develop a regression model to estimate the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) of Korean adults using various easy-to-measure dependent variables. [METHODS]: The EPOC and dependent variables for its estimation (e.g., sex, age, height, weight, body mass index, fat-free mass [FFM], fat mass, % body fat, and heart rate_sum [HR_sum]) were measured in 75 healthy adults ( 31 males, 44 females). Statistical analysis was performed to develop an EPOC estimation regression model using the stepwise regression method. [RESULTS]: We confirmed that FFM and HR_sum were important variables in the EPOC regression models of various exercise types. The explanatory power and standard errors of estimates (SEE) for EPOC of each exercise type were as follows: the continuous exercise (CEx) regression model was 86.3% (R(2)) and 85.9% (adjusted R(2)), and the mean SEE was 11.73 kcal, interval exercise (IEx) regression model was 83.1% (R(2)) and 82.6% (adjusted R(2)), while the mean SEE was 13.68 kcal, and the accumulation of short-duration exercise (AEx) regression models was 91.3% (R(2)) and 91.0% (adjusted R(2)), while the mean SEE was 27.71 kcal. There was no significant difference between the measured EPOC using a metabolic gas analyzer and the predicted EPOC for each exercise type. [CONCLUSION]: This pilot study developed a regression model to estimate EPOC in healthy Korean adults. The regression model was as follows: CEx = -37.128 + 1.003 × (FFM) + 0.016 × (HR_sum), IEx = -49.265 + 1.442 × (FFM) + 0.013 × (HR_sum), and AEx = -100.942 + 2.209 × (FFM) + 0.020 × (HR_sum).