Abstract
BackgroundDyslipidemia is one factor cited for increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in American football players. However, American football players undergo physical conditioning which is known to influence lipids. This study examined if the physical activity of an American football season is associated with changes in lipids and if a relationship exists between lipids and body composition.MethodsFourteen division I freshmen American football players had blood drawn prior to summer training (T1), end of competition (T2), and end of spring training (T3). Samples were analyzed for total cholesterol (TCHL), HDL-C, LDL-C, and triglycerides (TG). Body composition was assessed via dual-x-ray absorptiometry. National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) lipid categorization was used to characterize participants. Pearson correlations were computed to determine relationships.ResultsBody mass increased T2 (p = 0.008) as a result of increase in fat mass (p = 0.005) and remained high despite a decrease T3. Lean mass did not differ significantly at any time. No significant time effects were observed for lipids measured. The number of participants presenting with risk factors attributed to dyslipidemia varied. By T3, no participant was categorized as “low” for HDL-C. TCHL was moderately correlated (r = 0.60) with fat mass at T1; whereas a moderate correlation (r = −0.57) was observed between BMI and HDL-C at T2. TG was strongly correlated with fat mass at each time point (T1, r = 0.83; T2, r = 0.94; T3, r = 0.70).ConclusionThe physical activity associated with a season of football results in little change in blood lipids and CVD risk. Further, TG are strongly related to fat mass. Future research should focus on examining the cause of dyslipidemia in American football players.
Highlights
American football athletes undergo intense physical training, often exceeding the energy expenditure requirements generally recognized as effective in altering lipids and lipoproteins in a single work out [1]
Previous studies in American football athletes have been limited to cross-sectional data [2,3,4,5,7] or serial data resulting from interventions not necessarily indicative of the physical activity associated with a traditional season [8]
Given the data regarding the beneficial effects of physical activity on lipids and lipoproteins [1], the relationship between dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) [9,10], and the recent reports of greater CVD risk attributed to dyslipidemia among American football players of all ages [2,4,5]; our goal was to examine changes in blood lipid and lipoproteins over the course of a traditional American football season, as physical activity and nutritional supervision are known to differ across this time period
Summary
American football athletes undergo intense physical training, often exceeding the energy expenditure requirements generally recognized as effective in altering lipids and lipoproteins in a single work out [1]. Despite this level of physical activity and the purported beneficial effects of physical activity on lipids and lipoproteins [1], a number of studies have reported American football players have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) attributed to dyslipidemia [2,3,4]. This study examined if the physical activity of an American football season is associated with changes in lipids and if a relationship exists between lipids and body composition
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