Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis in elite young soccer players: the effects of age and playing position

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Sport Sciences for Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Most of the research in body composition of young soccer players has used anthropometric techniques as assessment methods. On the other hand, there is lack of data concerning bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in young soccer players, a method which might provide more detailed information on body composition than the traditional anthropometric techniques.

Purpose

Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine body composition assessed by BIA of young soccer players with regard to their age and playing position.

Methods

We examined the body composition of 65 soccer players (age 15.2 ± 0.2 years, weight 63.3 ± 9.4 kg, height 171.5 ± 8.3 cm and training experience of 9.0 ± 1.5 years), classified into three age groups (U14, ~13 years; U16, ~15 years; and U18, ~17 years) and four playing positions (goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards).

Results

U14 showed lower weight, BMI, intracellular and extracellular water, protein, mineral mass, basal metabolism and all parameters of body balance (p < 0.001) than U16 and U18. Within each age group, there were differences between forwards and defenders (p < 0.05). Also, we found differences between defenders of different age groups; defenders in the younger group had lower values in all parameters than their older counterparts and the same trend was noticed in midfielders.

Conclusions

Our findings with regard to positional differences in weight, height, BMI and body fat percentage were in agreement with previous studies. However, what is novel is that we observed corresponding differences in the cellular level, which should be confirmed by future studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Andreoli A, Melchiorri G, Volpe SL, Sardella F, Lacopino L, De Lorenzo A (2004) Multicompartment model to assess body composition in professional water polo players. J Sports Med Phys Fit 44:38–43

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Armstrong LE, Epstein Y (1999) Fluid-electrolyte balance during labor and exercise: concepts and misconceptions. Int J Sport Nutrition 9(1):1–12

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Arnason A, Sigurdson S, Gudmunsson A, Holme I, Engebretsen L, Bahr R (2004) Physical fitness, injuries, and team performance in soccer. Med Sci Sports Exerc 36(2):278–285

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Battistini N, Virgili F, Bedogni G (1994) Relative expansion of extracellular water in elite male athletes compared to recreational sportsmen. Ann Hum Biol 21(6):609–612

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bodo M, Settle T, Royal J, Lombardini E, Sawyer E, Rothwell SW (2013) Multimodal noninvasive monitoring of soft tissue wound healing. J Clin Monit Comput 27(6):677–688

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Brodie D, Moscrip V, Hutcheon R (1998) Body composition measurement: a review of hydrodensitometry, anthropometry, and impedance methods. Nutrition 14(3):296–310

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Burdukiewicz A, Chmura J, Pietraszewska J, Andrzejewska J, Stachoń A, Nosal J (2013) Characteristics of body tissue composition and functional traits in junior football players. Hum Mov 14(2):96–101

    Google Scholar 

  8. Carling C, Le Gall F, Reilly T, Williams A (2009) Do anthropometric and fitness characteristics vary according to birth date distribution in elite youth academy soccer players? Scand J Med Sci Sport 19:3–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Carrasco L, Torres-Luque G, Villaverde C, Oltras M (2007) Prolactin responses to stress induced by a competitive swimming effort. Biol Sport 24(4):311–323

    Google Scholar 

  10. Castagna C, D’ottavio S, Abt G (2003) Activity profile of young soccer players during actual match play. J Strength Cond Res 17:775–780

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Chamari K, Hachana Y, Ahmed Y, Galy O, Sghaïer F, Chatard J, Hue O, Wisløff U (2004) Field and laboratory testing in young elite soccer players. Br J Sports Med 38(2):191–196

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Christou M, Smilios L, Sotiropoulos K, Volaklis K, Pilianidis T, Tokmakidis S (2006) Effects of resistance training on the physical capacities of adolescent soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 20(4):783–791

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Clark N, Edwards A, Morton R, Butterly R (2008) Season-to-season variations of physiological fitness within a squad of professional male soccer players. J Sports Sci Med 7:157–165

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Cho Y, Song H, Kim JM, Park K, Paek Y, Cho J, Caterson I, Kang J (2009) The estimation of cardiovascular risk factors by body mass index and body fat percentage in Korean male adults. Metabolism 58(6):765–771

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Esposito F, Impellizzeri F, Margonato V, Vanni R, Pizzini G, Veicsteinas A (2004) Validity of heart rate as an indicator of aerobic demand during soccer activities in amateur soccer players. Eur J Appl Physiol 93(1–2):167–172

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Gibson A, Holmes J, Desautels R, Edmonds L, Nuudi L (2008) Ability of new octapolar bioimpedance spectroscopy analyzers to predict 4-component–model percentage body fat in Hispanic, black, and white adults. Am J Clin Nutr 87:328–332

    Google Scholar 

  17. Gil S, Gil J, Ruiz F, Irazusta A, Irazusta J (2010) Anthropometrical caracteristics and somatotype of young soccer players and their comparison with the general population. Biol Sport 27:17–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Gil S, Gil J, Ruiz F, Irazusta A, Irazusta J (2007) Physiological and anthropometric characteristics of young soccer players according to their playing position: relevance for the selection process. J Strength Cond Res 21(2):438–445

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. González JA (2010) Nutritional balance and performance in soccer. A real proposal based in the supercompensation of carbohydrates. J Sport Health Res 2(1):7–16

    Google Scholar 

  20. Gravina L, Gil S, Ruiz F, Zubero J, Gil J, Irazusta J (2008) Anthropometric and physiological differences between first team and reserve soccer players aged 10–14 at the beginning and end of the season. J Strength Cond Res 22(4):1308–1314

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Guo S, Wu W, Chumlea W, Roche A (2002) Predicting overweight and obesity in adulthood from body mass index values in childhood and adolescence. Am J Clin Nutr 76:653–658

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Hansen L, Bangsbo J, Twisk J, Klausen K (1999) Development of muscle strength in relation to training level and testosterone in young male soccer players. J Appl Physiol 87(3):1141–1147

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Lavender A, Nosaka K (2008) Changes in markers of muscle damage of middle-aged and young men following eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors. J Sports Sci Med 11(2):124–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Malá L, Malý T, Záhalka F, Bunc V (2010) The profile and comparison of body composition of elite female volleyball players. Kinesiology 42(1):90–97

    Google Scholar 

  25. Malina R, Eisenmann J, Cumming S, Ribeiro B, Aroso J (2004) Maturity-associated variation in the growth and functional capacities of youth football (soccer) players 13–15 years. Eur J Appl Physiol 91:555–562

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Medoua GN, Ndzana AC, Essa’a VJ, Sobgui CM, Messomo MT, Rikong H (2008) Validity of impedance-based equations for the prediction of total body water as measured by deuterium dilution in Cameroonian HIV-infected patients treated with antiretroviral treatment. Clin Nutr 27(6):881–888

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Melchiorri G, Monteleone G, Andreoli A, Callà C, Sgroi M, De Lorenzo A (2007) Body cell mass measured by bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy in professional football (soccer) players. J Sports Med Phys Fit 47(4):408–412

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Nescolarde L, Yanguas J, Lukaski H, Alomar X, Rosell-Ferrer J, Rodas G (2013) Localized bioimpedance to assess muscle injury. Physiol Meas 34(2):237–245

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Nikolaidis PT (2012) Elevated body mass index and body fat percentage are associated with decreased physical fitness in soccer players aged 12–14 years. Asian J Sports Med 3(3):168–174

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Nikolaidis PT, Ingebrigtsen J, Povoas SC, Moss S, Torres-Luque G (2015) Physical and physiological characteristics in male team handball players by playing position - Does age matter. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 55(4):297–304

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Portao J, Bescos R, Irurtia A, Cacciatori E, Vallejo L (2009) Valoración de la grasa corporal en jóvenes físicamente activos: antropometría vs bioimpedancia. Nutr Hosp 24(5):529–534

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Prado W, Botero J, Guerra R, Rodrigues C, Cuvello L, Dâmaso A (2006) Perfil antropométrico e ingestão de macronutrientes em atletas profissionais brasileiros de futebol, de acordo com suas posições. Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte 12(2):61–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Reilly T, Bangsbo J, Franks A (2000) Anthropometric and physiological predispositions for elite soccer. J Sport Sci 18:669–683

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Stroyer J, Hansen L, Klausen K (2004) Physiological profile and activity pattern of young soccer players during match play. Med Sci Sports Exerc 36(1):168–174

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Tahara Y, Moji K, Tsunawake N, Fukuda R, Nakayama M, Nakagaichi M, Komine T, Kusano Y, Aoyagi K (2006) Physique, body composition and maximum oxygen consumption of selected soccer players of Kunimi High School, Nagasaki, Japan. J Physiol Anthropol 25(4):291–297

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Torres-Luque G, Moya M (2013) Control psicobiológico del rendimiento en la práctica del tenis. In: Sañudo B (ed) Tenis y mujer. Inde, Barcelona, pp 73–92

    Google Scholar 

  37. Valente-Dos-Santos J, Duarte J, Figueiredo A, Liparotti J, Sherar L, Elferink-Gemser M, Malina R (2012) Longitudinal predictors of aerobic performance in adolescent soccer players. Medicina (Kaunas) 48(8):410–416

    Google Scholar 

  38. Wang ZM, Pierson RN Jr, Heymsfield SB (1992) The five-level model: a new approach to organizing body-composition research. Am J Clin Nutr 56(1):19–28

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Wisløff U, Helgerud J, Hoff J (1998) Strength and endurance of elite soccer players. Med Sci Sports Exerc 30:462–467

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank all participants, their parents and coaches for their collaboration.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Humanities and Education Sciences, University of Jaen, Campus de las lagunillas (Edificio D2), 23071, Jaén, Spain

    Gema Torres-Luque, Fernando Calahorro-Cañada & Amador J. Lara-Sánchez

  2. Faculty of Health and Sport Science, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain

    Nuria Garatachea

  3. Department of Physical and Cultural Education, Hellenic Army Academy, Athens, Greece

    Pantelis T. Nikolaidis

Authors
  1. Gema Torres-Luque
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fernando Calahorro-Cañada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Amador J. Lara-Sánchez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Nuria Garatachea
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pantelis T. Nikolaidis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gema Torres-Luque.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Torres-Luque, G., Calahorro-Cañada, F., Lara-Sánchez, A.J. et al. Body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis in elite young soccer players: the effects of age and playing position. Sport Sci Health 11, 203–210 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-015-0226-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-015-0226-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation