1. New FITNESSGRAM ® Healthy Fitness Zone® Standards

2. References Information compiled from
The Cooper Institute website (FitnessGram):
About.com—“What is VO2 Max?”:

3. Need for New Standards Aerobic Capacity Body Composition
Excessively high passing rates for young girls
Specific times for mile run do not take BMI into account.
Body Composition
Much more data for children is now available upon which to base standards
Previous BMI scores were closer to high-risk standards

4. Basis for New Standards
Nationally representative data on children from National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES)
Analyses were conducted to find levels of body fatness and aerobic capacity that are associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome
No longer generalized scores—specific to age and gender of children and teens

5. What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
You are Considered to have metabolic syndrome if you have three of the five conditions.
High blood pressure
High fasting glucose
High waist circumference
High triglycerides
Low HDL cholesterol

6. Characteristics of New Standards
Young boys and girls do not differ substantially but follow different patterns as age increases
New standards will classify children into three zones:
Healthy Fitness Zone
Needs Improvement – Some Risk
Needs Improvement – High Risk
Three zones allow messaging to be much more specific

7. Unique to New Aerobic Capacity Standards
All output will be expressed as Aerobic Capacity (VO2max) rather than One Mile Run time.
Calculation of Aerobic Capacity requires the input of height and weight – Body Mass Index is a very critical factor in one’s ability to perform aerobically. Without BMI many students may be classified incorrectly.

8. What is VO2max?
VO2max, or maximal oxygen uptake, is one factor that can determine an athlete's capacity to perform sustained exercise and is linked to aerobic endurance.
VO2max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense or maximal exercise.

9. This is how your testing results will be sent to your home (after the 7th grade spring test).
Everyone else will use the testing times as practice for 7th and 9th grade—it is a PE unit, so it will still count for your grade, no matter what!

10. What’s the Difference?
FitnessGram testing is the same, with the same tests given.
The one thing that will be different is that your motivation on the aerobic test cannot be based on how much you have to do. You will have to “do your best.”
Presidential Physical Fitness Testing will NOT be administered this year.

11. Estimated Aerobic Capacity (VO2max) Look-up Table Males Age 13 HFZ: > 41.1

12. How do I Read that Chart?
You need to use your BMI and Practice Mile Run times.
Read down from your BMI, and read to the right from your run time.
The numbers meet at your estimated VO2max . If that is within your HFZ, you are good to go!

13. Where do I Find the Charts?
Go to the FitnessGram website at:
Look up your age and gender for your specific Aerobic capacity chart.

14. How do I Know if I am in My Healthy Fitness Zone?
The higher your BMI, the lower your mile run time needs to be, in order to keep you in your HFZ.
If you are not in your HFZ from your Practice Mile Run time, you can redo that test!

15. How do I Keep Track of All This Information?
Use the handout provided to determine your estimated time for your Mile Run test.
Check with your teacher to see when this handout is due (or if it is for your information, only).