Are Skinfold-Based Models Accurate and Suitable for Assessing Changes in Body Composition in Highly Trained Athletes?

Silva, Analiza M.; Fields, David A.; Quitério, Ana; Sardinha, Luís B.

doi:10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181b3f0e4

Cited by 43 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 34 publications

(36 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Given we found inconsistent inferred regional fat mass distribution using the two assessment techniques, this would provide further evidence to support not using regression equations as previously advocated by Johnston (1982). However, the ability of such equations to track changes over time in elite athletic populations has not been as widely assessed in the literature (Silva, Fields, Quitério, & Sardinha, 2009), and to our knowledge no such studies have taken into account ethnicity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body composition characteristics of elite Australian rugby union athletes according to playing position and ethnicity

Zemski

Slater

Broad

2015

Journal of Sports Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study describes the body composition traits of modern-day elite rugby union athletes according to playing position and ethnicity. Thirty-seven international Australian rugby athletes of Caucasian and Polynesian descent undertook body composition assessment using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and surface anthropometry. Forwards were significantly taller, heavier and had a greater total fat mass and lean mass than backs. Backs displayed a higher percentage lean mass and lower sum of seven skinfolds and percentage fat mass. While no whole body composition differences were seen between ethnicities, significant regional differences were observed. In the periphery (arm and leg) regions, Polynesians had a greater proportion of fat mass (53.1% vs. 51.3%, P = 0.052, d = 0.5) and lean mass (49.7% vs. 48.6%, P = 0.040, d = 0.9), while in the trunk region a lower proportion of fat mass (37.2% vs. 39.5%, P = 0.019, d = 0.7) and lean mass (45.6% vs. 46.8%, P = 0.020, d = 1.1). Significant differences were also seen between Caucasian and Polynesian forwards in leg lean mass (31.4 kg vs. 35.9 kg, P = 0.014, d = 2.4) and periphery lean mass (43.8 kg vs. 49.6 kg, P = 0.022, d = 2.4). Elite Polynesian rugby athletes have different distribution patterns of fat mass and lean mass compared to Caucasians, which may influence their suitability for particular positions.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body composition characteristics of elite Australian rugby union athletes according to playing position and ethnicity

Zemski

Slater

Broad

2015

Journal of Sports Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Application of anthropometric methods may depend upon the sporting discipline involved. For elite male judo athletes before a competition, anthropometric models using seven or three skinfolds were not valid when relative fat mass, absolute fat mass, and fat-free mass were evaluated at baseline and before a competition 46. However, for body builders, comparison of underwater weighing, deuterium dilution, a three-compartment model incorporating total body water, a three-compartment model incorporating bone mineral content, and descriptive methods, namely dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, predictive equations based on body mass index, skinfold measurement, and bioimpedance analyses during strength training, gave acceptable group mean values 47.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in single skinfold thickness in 100 km ultramarathoners

Knechtle¹,

Baumgartner²,

Knechtle³

et al. 2012

OAJSM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundChanges in single skinfold thickness and body fat have been investigated in ultraswimmers and ultracyclists, but not in ultrarunners. The present study investigated the changes in single skinfold thickness during a 100 km ultramarathon.MethodsFirstly, we investigated associations between prerace preparation and prerace body composition and, secondly, changes in single skinfold thickness during a 100 km ultramarathon in 219 male ultramarathoners. Changes in fat mass and skeletal muscle were estimated using anthropometric methods.ResultsKilometers run weekly prerace and running speed during training were negatively associated with all skinfold thicknesses (P < 0.05) except for the front thigh skinfold. During the race, skinfold thickness at the pectoral (−0.1%), suprailiac (−1.8%), and calf (−0.8%) sites decreased (P < 0.05). The subjects lost 1.9 ± 1.4 kg of body mass (P < 0.001), 0.7 ± 1.0 kg of estimated skeletal muscle mass (P < 0.001), and 0.2 ± 1.3 kg of estimated fat mass (P < 0.05). The decrease in body mass was positively related to the decrease in both estimated skeletal muscle mass (r = 0.21, P = 0.0017) and estimated fat mass (r = 0.41, P < 0.0001).ConclusionFirstly, prerace fat mass and prerace skinfold thickness were associated with both volume and speed in running training. Secondly, during the ultramarathon, skinfold thickness decreased at the pectoral, suprailiac, and calf sites, but not at the thigh site. Percent decreases in skinfold thickness for ultrarunners was lower than the percent decreases in skinfold thickness reported for ultraswimmers and ultracyclists.

show abstract

“…International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism © 2018 Human Kinetics, Inc. fluctuations in the lean mass index (LMI), which assesses within-athlete proportional changes in body mass adjusted for changes in the sum of seven skinfold thickness (S7SF; Slater et al, 2006). However, surface anthropometry measures are unable to accurately quantify absolute (Doran et al, 2014;Reilly et al, 2009;Zemski et al, 2018), or changes in, FFM and FM (Silva et al, 2009). Given this limitation, anthropometric data is increasingly being complemented by other measures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Longitudinal Changes in Body Composition Assessed Using DXA and Surface Anthropometry Show Good Agreement in Elite Rugby Union Athletes

Zemski

Keating

Broad

et al. 2019

International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Rugby union athletes have divergent body composition based on the demands of their on-field playing position and ethnicity. With an established association between physique traits and positional requirements, body composition assessment is routinely undertaken. Surface anthropometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) are the most common assessment techniques used, often undertaken synchronously. This study aims to investigate the association between DXA and surface anthropometry when assessing longitudinal changes in fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) in rugby union athletes. Thirty-nine elite male rugby union athletes (age: 25.7 ± 3.1 years, stature: 187.6 ± 7.7 cm, and mass: 104.1 ± 12.2 kg) underwent assessment via DXA and surface anthropometry multiple times over three consecutive international seasons. Changes in the lean mass index, an empirical measure to assess proportional variation in FFM, showed large agreement with changes in DXA FFM (r = .54, standard error of the estimate = 1.5%, p < .001); the strength of association was stronger among forwards (r = .63) compared with backs (r = .38). Changes in the sum of seven skinfolds showed very large agreement with changes in DXA FM (r = .73, standard error of the estimate = 5.8%, p < .001), with meaningful differences observed regardless of ethnicity (Whites: r = .75 and Polynesians: r = .62). The lean mass index and sum of seven skinfolds were able to predict the direction of change in FFM and FM 86% and 91% of the time, respectively, when DXA change was >1 kg. Surface anthropometry measures provide a robust indication of the direction of change in FFM and FM, although caution may need to be applied when interpreting magnitude of change, particularly with FM.

show abstract

Are Skinfold-Based Models Accurate and Suitable for Assessing Changes in Body Composition in Highly Trained Athletes?

Cited by 43 publications

References 34 publications

Body composition characteristics of elite Australian rugby union athletes according to playing position and ethnicity

Body composition characteristics of elite Australian rugby union athletes according to playing position and ethnicity

Changes in single skinfold thickness in 100 km ultramarathoners

Longitudinal Changes in Body Composition Assessed Using DXA and Surface Anthropometry Show Good Agreement in Elite Rugby Union Athletes

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About