Health-Related Physical Fitness and Normative Data in Healthy Women, Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine the age-related loss of health-related physical fitness and normative data in healthy population women aged 20-60 years old of Tehran, Iran. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 1000 healthy women aged 20-60 years old were randomly selected from northern, southern, eastern, western and center regions of Tehran. Cardiovascular fitness was determined by Ros and Jakson protocol. Body composition were measured using Jackson and Poolak procedure, flexibility was determined by sit and reach test, muscular strength with a standard dynamometer and muscular endurance were measured with Sit-ups test in one minutes. RESULTS Cardiovascular fitness (vo(2max)), body composition, flexibility, muscular strength and endurance remained unchanged in the 20 and 30 year old age groups. Around of 40 years old, cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance began to gradually decline but body composition increased and flexibility unchanged. Data for Vo2max and the other variables in 4-yr groups provide "normative" results. Result indicated age-related declined in Vo2max (0.43 ml/ kg/min× yr (-1)), muscular strength (0.004 kg/weight ×yr (-1)) and endurance (0.63 repetition ×yr (-1)), and increased in body fat (0.43 % ×yr (-1)) in 30-60 year. One-way ANOVA test showed that all variables significantly differed (P<0.001) among decades except sit and rich test (P< 0.059) between the second and third decades. V(o2max) had a significant relationship (P< 0.01) with Age, BMI, body fat percent and muscular strength and endurance. CONCLUSION Iranian women have a greater decline in cardiovascular fitness; muscular strength and endurance. The results of this study can be used as reference material for clinical studies in different age groups.