Relationship of Somatotype and Body Composition to Physical Performance in 7- to 12-Year-Old Boys

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the association of somatotype, body composition, and physical performance in 7- through 12-year-old boys. Two objective methods of measuring somatotype, Sheldon's trunk index method and Heath–Carter's anthropometric method, were used. Body composition was estimated as fat and lean body mass from 40K measurement, using a whole-body counter, and from two skinfold thickness measures. Physical performance measures consisted of three tests of running (mile run, 600-yd run and 50-yd dash) and two tests of jumping (standing broad jump and vertical jump). In general, somatotype components had lower correlations with running and jumping variables than did body composition or body size variables such as height, weight, and percent fat. Heath and Carter's third component, derived from the inverse ponderal index, correlated more closely with performance scores than did other components of somatotype. Somatotype components in combination with each other and with body size and body composition variables in a multiple regression analysis indicated little association with running performance, but some association with jumping. Mesomorphy and second component were the least significant somatotype components, as indicated by the standardized regression coefficients.