Comparison of Cardiorespiratory Fitness of Chinese Tibetan Adolescents with Their Han Counterparts: A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a core element of healthy physical fitness. Foreign attention to CRF in adolescents at different altitudes is high, while less research has been conducted on Chinese adolescents. In order to compare the CRF of Chinese Tibetan adolescents with their Han counterparts born and raised at high altitude and Chinese Han adolescents at sea level. A total of 2748 participants, including Chinese Tibetan adolescents, Chinese Han adolescents born and raised at high altitudes, and Chinese Han adolescents at sea level aged 12–18 years old, were obtained using convenience sampling and random cluster sampling. The method of the 20 m shuttle run test (20 m SRT) test was used to derive VO(2max) by equation. One-way ANOVA and LSD methods were conducted, and effect sizes were calculated to compare the CRF of the three types of adolescents. Regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between altitude and VO(2max). The VO(2max) scores of Chinese Tibetan adolescents and Chinese Han adolescents at sea level were higher than Chinese Han adolescents born and raised at high altitudes. For both boys and girls, the VO(2max) scores of Chinese Tibetan adolescents exceeded Chinese Han adolescents at sea level after the age of 16 years old. Regression analysis showed that altitude was inversely associated with VO(2max). The pace of lung growth may distinguish Chinese Tibetan adolescents from Chinese Han adolescents born and raised at high altitudes. The results of the study suggest that we should focus on the changes in CRF in adolescents at different altitudes and should adopt different CRF interventions for adolescents at different altitudes.