There is a strong relationship between body composition and performance in male soccer players. This study aimed to display an optimal body height and weight, and body composition profile of male soccer players for four competitive age groups. This cross-sectional study included four groups: U-15 (n = 152), U-17 (n = 154), U-19 (n = 61), and seniors (n = 27). Body height and weight were measured under standard conditions, and the bioelectrical impedance analyzer (BIA) analyzed body composition. On average, soccer players in the U-15 group had significantly lower body height, weight, body mass index, skeletal muscle mass, fat-free mass, total body water and basal metabolic rate than U-17, U-19 and seniors, but a higher percentage of body fat than U-17 and U-19, p < 0.05. In addition, the results show significant non-linear increases in body height, weight and body composition as the age of soccer players increases, with the exception of the percentage of body fat mass, which tends to significantly decrease with age. The main findings of this study are that body fat mass remains stable and similar across all age groups, including in the senior squad.

Elite karatekas should have specific morphological characteristics suitable for their specializations. This study aimed to determine the differences in morphological characteristics and body composition of elite Montenegrin karate athletes according to different specializations. This study consisted of a total of 16 male karate athletes divided according to specialization in kata (form or movement pattern) and kumite (fighting) disciplines. The subject sample included healthy, black belt karate senior athletes, with no prior injuries divided into kata (n-6, 19.83±4.71 years) and kumite (n-10, 20.4±5.21 years) athletes. Morphological characteristics and body composition were evaluated by a battery of 11 variables: body height (BH), body mass (BM), triceps skinfold (TS), biceps skinfold (BiS), back skinfold (BS), abdominal skinfold (AS), upper leg skinfold (UlS), lower leg skinfold (LlS), body mass index (BMI), fat percentage (FP), and muscle mass percentages (MP). The differences in morphological characteristics and the composition of the body between kata and kumite karatekas were determined by using a statistical procedure with a t-test for small independent samples. It was determined that the kumite had a higher body height, and body weight, as well as a higher percentage of muscle mass than kata karatekas. In other parameters concerning the distribution of subcutaneous adipose tissue, as well as the percentage of body fat, there was no difference between the groups. The results suggest that there is some difference in morphological characteristics between kata and kumite karatekas, but for more complete conclusions an analysis should be performed on a larger sample of high-level karate athletes.

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This research aims at showing the impact of basic morphological characteristics and specific motoric skills in the selection of young football players, specifically in showing the differences between FC Prishtina’s U17 first and second teams. 30 football players participated in this study and were divided into two teams: a first team (n=15) and a second team (n=15). The competitive season performance of football players served as the selection criterion. It was always based on the eye of the coaches. The morphological measurements (body weight and height; BMI) and the assessment of specific motoric skills (speed, agility, and others) were done at the beginning of the competitive season. The research results through T-test analysis have proven differences between the first and second teams (in favor of the first team) in specific motoric skills: sprint 10 m, sprint 30m, specific endurance 300 m, agility without ball 20 m, agility with ball 20 m, but no significant differences between teams in morphological characteristics (body weight and height, BMI). So, based on this study, we can affirm that the selection of more qualitative football players (for the first team) is significantly influenced by specific motor skills (speed, agility, and specific endurance) but not by morphological characteristics (body weight and height, BMI).

There is a lack of criterion reference standards for assessing health fitness in children and adolescents. The research was intended to determine the link between fitness and high blood pressure (HBP) and determine the cut-points that best predict high blood pressure (HBP) among adolescents. This cross-sectional study included 1261 adolescents, which were defined as a population of healthy adolescents at the age of 11-14 years, from Macedonian ethnicity and urban origin. The aerobic fitness is evaluated with the three-minute step test. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured with oscillometric method, whereby is used digital sphygmomanometer Omron. Analyses controlled for age, body fat, socioeconomic status and biological maturation. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated that three minute step test could discriminate high blood pressure in both sexes (male: AUC = 0.63; female: AUC = 0.64). The cut-points with the best discriminatory power for high blood pressure were 41 mL•kg-1•min-1 for males and 36 mL•kg-1•min-1 for females. Мales (OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3-3.0) and famales (OR: 2.2; CI 95%: 1.2-4.1) with low aerobic fitness levels were more likely to have high blood pressure. Three minute step tests are inversely associated with blood pressure and cut-points from ROC analyses have good discriminatory power for high blood pressure.