Background: The six-minute walk test is a simple, safe and well established assessment tool to assess exercise tolerance and endurance. Objectives: The aims of this study were to establish reference values of the six-minute walk test for children and adolescents aged from 12 to 18 years old and to compare between girls and boys regarding these values. Methods: 900 Egyptian healthy children of both sexes participated in this study. They were recruited from different preparatory and secondary schools located in three governorates of Egypt (Al-Ghariba, Al-Menofia and Kafrelsheikh) on the basis of 300 children from each governorate. They were classified according to age into three age groups (group I from 12:14 years; groups II from 14:16 years and group III from 16:18 years) with 300 children in each age group. The six-minute walk distance was measured for each child. Results: The overall mean of the six-minute walk distance was 550.28±64.74 meters with a maximum value of 711 meters and a minimum value of 402 meters. It was increased with age increment reaching to maximum mean value of 567.64±49.62 and 618.03±52.94 meters for girls and boys respectively at age group III and 570.14±66.49 for all children. The results revealed no significant differences between girls and boys mean values of the six-minute walk distance in group I(p=0.068). However, there was a significant difference between girls and boys mean values of the six-minute walk distance in both group II and III (p=0.001). Conclusion: This study provided reference values of the six-minute walk test for children and adolescents aged from 12-18 years which were affected by age and gender.
