Relationship of Age and Swim Training Distance with Body Composition in Adult Male Swimmers

Abstract

0507 PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between age and weekly swim distance with body composition in adult male competitive swimmers. METHODS: Twentyeight healthy adult male U.S. Masters Swimmers 23 to 73 years of age volunteered to participate (mean age = 46.8 years). Weekly swim distance averaged 9846 m, and ranged from 3400 to 17,500 m. During a single laboratory session all subjects were assessed by: height, weight, waist circumference, abdominal sagittal diameter, skinfold thicknesses of three trunk sites and three peripheral sites, multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). RESULTS: Mean values were as follows: body mass index (kg/m2) = 25.0 ± 2.6 (range = 21.9 – 31.6); waist circumference = 90.6 ± 8.9 cm (range = 77.5 to 112.0 cm); abdominal sagittal diameter = 12.8 ± 3.1 cm (range = 8.0 – 19.2 cm); trunk skinfolds = 41.2 ± 13.0 mm (range = 14.7 – 70.7 mm); and extremities skinfolds = 22.4 ± 7.4 mm (range = 10.3 – 42.5 mm). Percent body fat by DEXA averaged 21.9 ± 6.4% and ranged from 10.3 to 34.9%. Bone mineral density averaged 1.269 gm/cm2 ± .110 and ranged from 1.066 to 1.519 gm/cm2. The extracellular-to-total body water ratio (ECW/TBW) averaged .41 ± .02 and ranged from .38 to .45, and the total body water-to-fat-free mass (TBW/FFM) averaged .72 and ranged from .71 to .74. Subject age was associated with abdominal sagittal diameter (partial r = .41, P = .034) and ECW/TBW (partial r = .72, P = .00). The relationship between age and fat-free mass hydration approached significance (partial r = .37, P = .06) as did that between age and waist circumference (partial r = .33, P = .09). No association was observed between subject age and percent body fat, skinfold thicknesses, or bone mineral density. Average weekly swim distance did not appear to be related to any of the measured body composition variables. CONCLUSIONS: Despite variations in percent body fat and subcutaneous fat deposits in adult male swimmers, these differences were not associated with subject age or weekly swim training distance. Greater swimmer age was related to more thickness in the lower trunk and increased levels of extracellular water as compared to total body water. Supported by Louisiana State University Council on Research Summer Stipend Program.