Lockdowns may affect children's fitness: Study 12-14 aged shows lower levels of cardiorespiratory in Vo2 max

London Strict lockdowns can reduce the spread of Covid-19 but might be responsible for delaying normal cardiorespiratory development in children, according to a research.

The study, led by a team of researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in the UK and University of Zaragoza in Spain, showed that boys and girls aged 12-14 showed lower levels of cardiorespiratory fitness than would be expected with normal VO2 max rate development.

VO2 max is a well-known cardiorespiratory fitness indicator and levels increase during adolescence, in line with physical growth and development. Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) levels - a standard measure of health based on age and sex - also fell by 3.4 per cent over the 12-month period.

"In normal conditions, VO2 max levels tend to increase in adolescents up to a certain age. In our study, each age and sex subgroup showed lower levels in relation to normal VO2 max rate development and specific subgroups, such as boys aged 12 and girls aged 14, displayed reductions in their actual VO2 max levels, which could underscore a higher vulnerability in these groups," said Lee Smith, Reader in Physical Activity and Public Health at ARU.