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The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test (CAFT), a field measure of cardiovascular fitness. After providing anthropometric measures, 31 subjects, ages 10 to 15, completed a maximal treadmill test and the CAFT, a 3-stage step test. Multiple regression analyses were conducted where maximal oxygen consumption from the treadmill test was estimated based on the oxygen cost of stepping, age and various combinations of body composition. For the total sample, the best model (R = 0.79, SEE = 6.7), obtained from the sum of 4 skinfolds, was the body composition estimate. This model was slightly more accurate for males (R = 0.83, SEE = 6.0) than for females (R = 0.77, SEE = 7.0). When the regression equation incorporated less time consuming indicators of body composition, the predictive power, albeit lower, was still satisfactory. It appears that the CAFT can be a useful option for measuring cardiovascular fitness for youth, with the decision dependent on the purpose of the test, the testing resources, the setting, and the motivation of the subjects.

To enhance our understanding of exercise adherence, predictors of adherence based on social-cognitive theory were compared with those derived from a trait approach. A community-based sample of older, sedentary men and women was administered the Self-Motivation Inventory and a self-efficacy questionnaire. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three exercise regimens or to an assessment-only control condition for the following year. The subjects in the exercise conditions recorded each bout of exercise and rated the experience in terms of perceived exertion, enjoyment, and convenience (PEEC) on monthly logs. Based on social-cognitive theory, it was postulated that self-efficacy and certain aspects of the exercise bout itself, such as PEEC, would influence exercise adherence more than the general trait of self-motivation. Self-efficacy was significantly associated with exercise adherence at both 6 months and 1 year (rs = .42 and .44, respectively); self-motivation was not. Contrary to expectations, the PEEC components measured during the first 6 months did not make a significant contribution to the variance in adherence during the second 6 months.