Report
Comparing methods of estimating body composition in highly trained wheelchair athletes
When working with Paralympic athletes the estimation of body composition is problematic because the transferability of able-bodied athletes’ normative values are questionable due to the increased fat mass and decreased bone density and lean mass often reported in these individuals.
- Lead academic:
- Professor Vicky Tolfrey
- Funder:
- The Peter Harrison Foundation
The assessment of body composition in athletes is commonly used as a tool to help define the impact that sports training and dietary interventions have on adipose tissue.
Introduction
Currently, the methods available to assess adiposity changes in wheelchair athletes have tended to include simple and relatively cheap field-based techniques, such as skinfold callipers and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). However, there are issues with many of these predictions and the physical impairment of the athlete must be carefully considered. Many studies comparing body composition methodologies exist using AB cohorts but there is little evidence to help inform the selection of a methodology for athletes with physical impairments.
Methods
Main findings and applications
- Total percentage body fat was 25.0±6.6%.
- No significant difference between SCI levels.
- Athletes with paraplegia had significantly lower fat-free mass and higher fat mass than athletes with other impairments likely due to muscle atrophy below the level of SCI.
- Compared to the DXA, BIA and ADP overestimated fat-free mass and underestimated fat mass. These methods should therefore be used with caution in wheelchair athletes with substantial body asymmetry, lower-body muscular atrophy and upper-body muscular development.
- Predictions of % body fat from skinfold analysis were all underestimated compared to DXA measurements.
- Further validation of predictive models of body composition in wheelchair athletes is warranted.