Body-composition Derived Energy Balance Changes Across An Entire Female Division II Basketball Season

Abstract

Limited data is available using body composition-derived metrics to establish energy balance (EB) in team-sport athletes, especially female athletes Tracking EB is important for coaches and athletes to understand how well the energetic demands of training and competing are being met the by diet. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine and track changes in energy balance across an entire competitive season in female Division II basketball athletes. METHODS: Eight female NCAA Division II basketball athletes (mean ± SD: 19.3 ± 0.9 yrs.; 72.8 ± 7.7 kg; 176.0 ± 7.4 cm; 24.8 ± 3.2 % body fat) underwent three dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans over approximately 12 months, separating the season into two phases (in-season, [IS, Week 1-24], offseason [OS, Week 24-49]) and combined to form a full season (FS, Week 1-49). Body composition derived energy balance (kcal•d-1) was estimated from changes in fat free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) between scans using the formula: EB (kcal•d-1) = 1.0 + 9.5 . Data was analyzed using factorial ANOVA with repeated measures on time. A p-value of 0.05 was used for statistical determinations. RESULTS: Across the FS, a positive EB of 87.4 ± 36.4 kcal•d-1 was observed (P > 0.05), which tended to decrease across the entire season (p = 0.06). A net decrease in FFM (-0.52 ± 0.10 kg) and increase in FM (3.2 ± 0.5 kg) was observed. During IS, EB was greater (137.6 ± 29.1 kcal•d-1) due to significant changes (p<0.05) in FM (2.7 ± 0.5) and FFM (-2.6 ± 0.4). During the OS, EB was 39.6 ± 81.0 kcal•d-1, with an increase in mean FFM (2.0 ± 0.38 kg, P < 0.05) and FM (0.5 ± 0.5 kg, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study suggest that female collegiate basketball athletes were largely able to maintain energy balance across an entire season. A mean positive EB observed over the season which overlapped with negligible changes in FM and FFM suggest a suitable matching of energy intake and energy demands across the FS. This information is useful for athletic performance staff, who should be aware of EB when providing athletes with proper nutrition and fueling strategies, particularly during the IS period to maintain appropriate energy balance when travel, classes, and food access may complicate energy intake and also during OS when training goals should be achieved.