Excercise ventilation during the growth spurt period: Comparison between two European countries

Abstract

The paper provides reference values with regard to pulmonary ventilation responses to progressively increasing bicycling up to the maximal level during the period of growth spurt. Data are based on longitudinal studies of rural Norwegian and German school children. A cluster sampling technique was used, starting with the total pupil-population at Lom in Norway at an age of 8 years, and annual tests were performed until the age of 15 years. In Germany a similar pupil-population was tested from age 12 until age 17 years. Functional growth curves giving means and dispersions for ventilation rates, tidal volume, respiratory frequency, ventilatory equivalent and respiratory gas exchange ratio are constructed. Norwegian and German children's developmental process with regard to the exercise ventilation variables were compared, and revealed no significant differences.