Christian Villanueva

Mr. Christian Villanueva

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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15 July 2026 in Trends in Public Health
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MYMeredith T. Yeung
Meredith T. Yeung
CVChristian Villanueva
Christian Villanueva
SNSen Neo
Sen Neo
MSMuhammad Hidir Bin Salim
Muhammad Hidir Bin Salim
XGXian Cong Goh
Xian Cong Goh
MYMingxing Yang
Mingxing Yang
Background: The 6 min walk test (6MWT) is the gold standard for field-based functional assessment, yet the 3 min walk test (3MWT) offers a time-efficient alternative. However, a lack of localised normative reference values (NRV) and an over-reliance on simple 6 min extrapolation limit its clinical utility. Objectives: To establish the NRV and reference equations for the 3MWT in a healthy cohort and investigate the physiological relationship between 3 min performance and 6 min predictions. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited healthy community-dwelling adults (aged 20 to 80, BMI < 27.5 kg/m2). Participants performed two 3MWT trials on a 30 m indoor course. Primary outcomes included the best 3MWT and physiological parameters. Reference equations were derived using multiple linear regression. Results: In total, 240 participants were recruited with an overall median 3MWT of 290 metres (m) (IQR 257.0–323.0). Males walked significantly farther than females (p = 0.002). While 3MWT remained stable across age decades in males (p = 0.225), females’ performance declined with age (p = 0.005). Older adults maintained walking distances comparable to younger cohorts by operating at a higher relative percentage of their predicted maximum heart rate and exhibiting prolonged recovery profiles. Doubling the 3MWT significantly overestimated 6 min capacity (p < 0.001), highlighting non-linear pacing strategies. Conclusions: This study provides the first age- and gender-specific NRV for the 3MWT in Singapore, supporting its use as a rapid functional walking assessment tool in healthy adults. The findings suggest that the 3MWT should not be interpreted as a direct linear surrogate for the 6MWT. Further research is required to validate these reference equations externally and determine their clinical sensitivity in disease populations.