The evaluation of the physical characteristics of young football players

Abstract

Introduction. Regular physical activity impacts on growth, development and health of children and adolescents. This study has been conducted with the aim of evaluating the physical characteristics of adolescents, who play football using the regional and WHO normative data.Methods. Сomplete sample of 64 adolescents borned in 2002-2005 from the football sport school were assessed. Main study parameters: height, body mass, BMI, fat mass, skeletal muscle mass fat free mass and water. Comparison analysis was performed using the regional and WHO normative data. Results. Participants of the present study was higher and heavier, but had a low level of body fat compared with the regional normative data for adolescents of this age. Depending on the method used, adolescents were defined to different centile groups for height, weight, BMI and fat mass. The agreement between regional and WHO data for height was poor with, a kappa coefficient of 0.17 for 12 years group, for 13 years - 0.56, for 14 years - 0.75, for 15 years and older - 0.90-100% of participants were overweight or BMI above normal range according to the regional or WHO normative data. At the same time, 30% of 13-year-olds, 50% of 14-year-olds and 100% of 15-year-olds and older had a deficit of fat mass according to the regional normative data. Using the normative data of fat mass for young athletes, a deficit of fat mass was discovered in 5% of 12-year-olds, in 47% of 13-year-olds and in 10% of 15-year-olds and older.Conclusion. Playing football contribute to changing the proportions of the body, reducing fat and increasing muscle mass in the body of adolescents. Therefore, to assess the physical development of adolescents involved in sports, it is necessary to evaluate not only height, weight and BMI, but also fat and muscle mass. Using of general population normal ranges for assessing the physical development of this group of adolescents can lead to hypo- and overdiagnosis of overweigth and malnutrition. (For citation: Turusheva AV, Gora DA, Rasmagina IA, et al. The evaluation of the physical characteristics of young football players. Russian Family Doctor. 2018;22(1):23-31. doi 10.17816/RFD2018123-31).