Total and Regional Body Composition of NCAA Division I Collegiate Baseball Athletes

Abstract

This study’s purpose was to evaluate total, regional, and throwing versus non-throwing arm body composition measurements between various positions of NCAA Division I male baseball players using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Two hundred and one collegiate baseball athletes were measured using DXA. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT), total and regional fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured. Athletes were separated into: pitchers (n=92), catchers (n=25), outfielders (n=43), and infielders (n=41). ANOVA and Tukey’s honest significant difference assessed total and regional differences between positions. Infielders had significantly (p<0.05) lower total LM than pitchers and outfielders. Additionally, outfielders had significantly lower total FM compared to pitchers and catchers. No significant differences between positions were observed for total BMD and VAT. Pitchers’ and infielders’ throwing arm demonstrated significantly greater total mass, FM, LM, and BMD compared to the non-throwing arm. Further, outfielders’ throwing arm total mass, LM, and BMD were significantly higher vs. the non-throwing arm. Significant differences were observed in total and regional body composition measurements across position, in addition to differences in throwing arm vs. non-throwing arm composition. These measurement values are important to coaches and trainers as normative positional DXA data for collegiate baseball players.

Total and Regional Body Composition of NCAA Division I Collegiate Female Softball Athletes

“…These results would seem to agree with the current study wherein the throwing arm had significantly higher lean mass, BMC, and BMD compared to the non-throwing arm for all positions. Importantly, the current study's results are similar to those of a previous study [3] in male baseball players in which the throwing arm was observed to have more lean mass, BMC, and BMD than the non-throwing arm for nearly all positions.…”

“…The most important study observations included: (a) there were no significant total or regional lean mass or BMD differences among the positions; (b) there were significant total and regional body fat mass differences between pitchers and outfielders; (c) there were significant throwing versus non-throwing arm differences within each position; and (d) there were no significant VAT mass differences across positions despite differences in total and regional composition by position. Notably, unlike a previous study of body composition in Division I baseball players [3], a softball players' position has very little effect upon the athletes' total and regional body composition (the only differences are that pitchers are taller and have more fat mass than outfielders). However, similar to a previous study [3], the sports' demands contribute to the throwing arm having greater total mass, fat mass, lean mass, BMD, and BMC than the non-throwing arm in most positions.…”

“…Notably, unlike a previous study of body composition in Division I baseball players [3], a softball players' position has very little effect upon the athletes' total and regional body composition (the only differences are that pitchers are taller and have more fat mass than outfielders). However, similar to a previous study [3], the sports' demands contribute to the throwing arm having greater total mass, fat mass, lean mass, BMD, and BMC than the non-throwing arm in most positions.…”

“…Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is considered the gold standard for measuring total and regional (i. e., arms, legs, trunk) body composition-including fat mass, lean soft tissue mass, bone mineral density, and visceral adipose tissue-and has been used in athletic populations for cross-sectional and longitudinal body composition assess-ments. Recently, DXA has been used within the athletic setting to: compare athletes' body composition measurements across positions within the same sport [1][2][3][4]; assess distributional fat and lean mass changes in body composition as a result of training programs and nutritional interventions (1); and examine potential bilateral lean mass asymmetries that may increase athletes' injury risk (2). Impor-tantly, DXA provides insight into athletes' overall health and mass distribution that may allow coaches and trainers to create individualized training programs and nutritional interventions to optimize athletes' sports performance and minimize injury risk.…”

Total and Regional Body Composition of NCAA Division I Collegiate Basketball Athletes

“…Importantly, previous studies have not (a) measured basketball athletes' regional body composition using DXA or (b) compared total and regional composition across all five basketball player positions. Furthermore, only five known studies have examined VAT mass in any athlete population [13][14][15][16][17]. Quantifying VAT mass is important, as it is associated with cardiometabolic risk and thus indicative of an individual's health [17][18][19][20].…”