Body Composition
Marissa Bello, PhD, CSCS*D
Instructor, Kinesiology
University of Alabama-Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Riley M. Gray
Undergraduate Student
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Jaret R. Kehl
Undergraduate Student
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Jon Uribe
Strength and Conditioning Coach
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Russell K. Lowell, MS
PhD Student
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States
Zachary M. Gillen, PhD, CSCS*D, USAW-1
Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology
Mississippi State University
Starkville, Mississippi, United States
Body composition has been shown to be an important component of fitness and sport performance. However, changes in body composition in basketball players over the course of a season has not been thoroughly investigated.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in body composition in starters vs. non-starters over a competitive basketball season.
Methods: Eleven male basketball players (Age=21.1±1.7 yr; starters: n=6 vs non-starters: n=7) completed routine body composition testing throughout the competitive season. Initial measurements were taken immediately prior to the first official practice (T1), T2 occurring one day prior to the first game, and T3-T4 in one-month intervals following the previous timepoint. Body mass and percent body fat (%BF) were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). All measurements were completed at the same time of day to account for changes in hydration status and food intake. Player statistics were compiled to categorize starter vs. non-starter and total minutes played. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare timepoints (T1 vs. T2 vs. T3 vs. T4) and starting status (starter vs. non-starter). Statistical significance was set a p< 0.05.
Results: There was a significant decrease in %BF in non-starters from T1 to T2 (20.8±7.6 vs. 18.2±4.8%, p=0.051), that was sustained at T3 (17.5±4.2%, p=0.032) and T4 (17.6±4.3%, p=0.032). There were no significant changes to %BF in starters across any timepoint.
Conclusions: Overall changes in %BF in these athletes were small, with the only statistically significant changes occurring in non-starters. This may be due to influence from coaching to improve body composition in non-starters and positively impact the overall team’s performance level. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Routine body composition testing can be a beneficial tool in assessing a player’s fitness and providing coaches with information regarding team management and workloads. Further research should investigate the changes during a full calendar year to assess off-season and the correlation of these changes with sport-specific metrics.