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Association between body mass index, body fat per cent and muscle power output in soccer players

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Central European Journal of Medicine

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to examine (a) the prevalence of overweight/obesity, (b) the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and body fat percent (BF), and (c) the association between BMI, BF and power output in adult male soccer players. Members of competitive soccer clubs (n=169, aged 22.7±4.2yr) were examined for anthropometric characteristics and body composition, and performed the physical working capacity in heart rate 170 min−1 test (PWC170), a force-velocity test (F-v) and the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT). Based on international BMI cut-off points, 17.8% (n=30) of participants were classified as overweight. BMI was correlated with BF (r=0.67, p<0.001) and could be predicted based on the equation BF=1.193·BMI-12.24 (standard error of estimate 2.49). BMI and BF were in inverse relationship with mean power during WAnT (r=−0.30, p<0.001; r=−0.47, p<0.001, respectively). BF was also in inverse relationship with PWC170 (r=−0.26, p<0.001) and maximal power of the F-v test (r=−0.18, p=0.020).The prevalence of overweight among participants was lower than what is observed in general population. The findings confirmed previous observations on general population about the negative effect of overweight and fatness on selected parameters of physical fitness.

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  1. Laboratory of Human Performance and Rehabilitation, Hellenic Army Academy, Thermopylon 7, Nikaia, 18450, Greece

    Pantelis Theo Nikolaidis

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  1. Pantelis Theo Nikolaidis
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Nikolaidis, P.T. Association between body mass index, body fat per cent and muscle power output in soccer players. cent.eur.j.med 7, 783–789 (2012). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11536-012-0057-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11536-012-0057-1

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