Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Huddinge, and Karolinska University Hospital, SE 141 86 Huddinge and SE 171 76 Solna, Sweden. gunilla.berndtsson@karolinksa.se
AIM: To describe age and gender differences in estimated maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and participation in organized physical activity in Swedish obese children and adolescents, and compare the results with an age-matched reference group representative of the general population. METHODS: Two hundred and nineteen obese children (102 boys, 117 girls, aged 8-16 years, Body Mass Index (BMI) 24.3-57.0 kg.m-2) performed a submaximal bicycle ergometry test and an interview concerning participation in organized physical activity. RESULTS: The obese children had lower relative VO2max (p