Metabolic Syndrome And Insulin Resistance In Division 1 Collegiate Football Players

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance and associated risk factors in a cohort of Division 1 collegiate football players. METHODS: Ninety football players were evaluated in a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and associated risk factors including body composition measurements, blood pressure, and laboratory variables (insulin, fasting glucose, HgbA1c, fasting lipid panel). Obesity was defined as a body fat percentage ≥ 25% as determined by BOD POD measurements. NCEP ATP III criteria were used to determine prevalence of metabolic syndrome. QUICKI calculations were performed to determine prevalence of insulin resistance. Linear regression techniques were used to determine association between body fat percentage and other measured continuous parameters. Fisher's exact test was used to determine association between nominal variables. RESULTS: Summary measures showed a small prevalence of abnormal individual measurements. There was an association between body fat percentage and most evaluated parameters (p > 0.05). Prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome were respectively 21%, 21%, and 9%. Obesity is closely associated with metabolic syndrome (p < 0.0001) and insulin resistance (p < 0.0001) in this population. All subjects with metabolic syndrome were obese and the odds for insulin resistance in the obese group are 10.6 times the odds for the non-obese group. Linemen (n=29) had 19 of the 19 obese subjects, 13 of the 19 subjects with insulin resistance and had all of the subjects with metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: There is a strong association between obesity and both metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in division 1 collegiate football players. Linemen are at significant risk for metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance compared to other positions. This may be predictive of future health problems in Division 1 collegiate football players, especially linemen.