Oxygen Uptake for Cycling in Relation to Body Composition: A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between oxygen uptake ( O2) for cycle ergometry and body composition in untrained healthy young men. Fifty-six men underwent body composition measurements and ramp work rate tests at 60 revolutions/minute on a cycle ergometer. Cell mass (CM), fat mass (FM), lean body mass (LMB) and total body mass (TBM) were assessed by multifrequency and segmental bioelectric impedance analysis. Resting, unloaded, and peak O2 were determined by a gas analyzer, and their relationships with CM, FM, LBM, and TBM were analyzed. Values of O2/TBM were positively related to the increasing CM/TBM