Effects of a competitive season on body composition in female intercollegiate athletes
Abstract
This study was designed to compare body composition over the
course of a season in several intercollegiate women's
athletics teams. Four basketball (BB) players, 18 cross
country (CC) runners, 9 gymnasts (GYM), 10 swimmers (SW) ,
and 7 volleyball (VB) players from the University of
Wisconsin-La Crosse, an NCAA ~ivision 111 school,
volunteered for the study. Body composition was determined
through hydrostatic weighing, and a questionnaire examining
the desire to lose or gain weight and aerobic activity
pattern was given at the beginning and end of each athletic
season. Using a 2-way mixed design ANOVA with repeated
measures, the statistical analysis of the body composition
variables showed the GYM and SW significantly (p < .05)
decreased percent body fat over the course of their seasons.
At the early season, CC runners and GYM had significantly
(p < .05) less body weight and fat weight (FW) than VB
players, SW, and BB players. CC runners also had
significantly (p < .05) less fat-free weight (FFW) than all
other teams. VB players had significantly (p < .05) greater
FFW than the GYM and SW, whereas the BB players only had
significantly (p < .05) greater FFW than the gymnasts. Late
season differences were the same as early season differences
with the exceptions that the BB players no longer had
significantly (p > .05) greater FFW than GYM, nor
significantly (p > .05) greater FW than the cc runners. The
results of the study suggest that body composition among
athletic teams varies, which may be a result of the unique
training techniques and expertise required for different
sports. Further research should involve the evaluation of
body composition and its relation to athletes and their
performance.
Subject
Body composition
College sports - Physiological aspects
Sports for women - Physiological aspects