Association between BOLT Score, aerobic fitness, and physical activity in active university students: a cross-sectional study

In active young adults, the BOLT breath-hold test was not significantly associated with VO<inf>2</inf>max, endurance time, or self-reported exercise levels. These findings suggest that BOLT - a measure of breathing function and CO<inf>2</inf> tolerance - does not serve as a surrogate indicator of aerobic capacity or habitual physical activity in this population. BOLT should be interpreted with caution if used for fitness assessment, as it appears to reflect a distinct aspect of physiological function not captured by standard aerobic performance tests.