Physical Fitness, Body Composition, and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Young Football Players: Influence of the 20 mSRT Score and Maturational Stage

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the differences in physical fitness variables, body composition, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet according to the cardiorespiratory fitness and the maturational stage in young football players. A total of 194 male football players (aged 8–16) from three football sport schools participated in this study. Data on cardiorespiratory fitness (the 20-m shuttle run test), anthropometric measurements, handgrip strength, respiratory capacity (forced spirometry), and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (KIDMED questionnaire) were collected. Players were divided into two groups depending on their maturational stage (prepubertal n = 127 and pubertal n = 67). The results show a direct relationship between low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index, as well as body fat and leg fat. Similarly, players with lower cardiorespiratory fitness presented higher values of handgrip strength in the prepubertal state. On the other hand, improvements in respiratory values were observed in the pubertal state with the rest of the parameters when the cardiorespiratory fitness was increased. Therefore, the promotion of recreational football that encourage and develop cardiorespiratory fitness is a key factor and can be used as an effective sport activity to promote physical fitness and healthy habits in children and adolescents as well as within the population that is already physically active.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, kinanthropometric characteristics and physical performance of young male handball players

“…On the other hand, and despite the fact that in our sample the predominant levels of adherence were good and medium, no significant differences were found in the distribution of the level of MD adherence. Manzano-Carrasco et al (2020b) , after evaluating young soccer players, also found no significant differences in the KIDMED questionnaire score. This could be due to the fact that the MD is being substituted by foods characteristic of other cultures, mainly affecting adolescents ( Rubio-Árias et al, 2015 ).…”

“…However, very few studies have analyzed adherence to the MD in young athletes, and how it influences sports performance, body composition characteristics, or both, not finding a high adherence of young athletes to this dietary pattern. ( Rubio-Árias et al, 2015 ; Vaquero-Cristóbal et al, 2018 ; Manzano-Carrasco et al, 2020b ; Martínez-Rodríguez et al, 2021 ). In addition, no studies have been found about handball players.…”

Weight Status, Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, and Physical Fitness in Spanish Children and Adolescents: The Active Health Study

“…Besides, girls showed a higher percentage of body fat mass compared to boys, which may also be due to a higher level of a sedentary lifestyle and, therefore, the lesser practice of physical activity of the girls, which are determining factors of NCDs [ 53 ]. Conversely, the boys showed a higher percentage of lean body mass, which gives them a higher ability to achieve greater levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and strength [ 54 ]. Thus, in childhood as well as adolescence it is essential to acquire a balanced diet that may contribute to optimal health, growth and cognitive development.…”

Effects of Extracurricular Sports in Prepubertal and Pubertal Girls

“…Weight (kg); body fat (%); body mass (kg) and skeletal muscle mass (%); fat mass in the upper body and lower body (%); and muscle mass in (kg) were measured by a portable segmental multifrequency body composition analyser (Tanita MC-780; Tanita Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). The body mass index (BMI) was calculated with the weight (kg) divided by the squared height of the girls [29]. Participants completed this test after an overnight fast without any intensive exercise on the day before [30].…”

“…The forced vital capacity (FVC)-which is the volume delivered during an expiration made as forcefully and completely as possible, starting from a full inspiration-and the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV)-which is the volume delivered in the first second of an FVC manoeuvre-were recorded [32]. The best result of two attempts was used for the analysis [29].…”