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Seasonal changes in body composition and cardiometabolic health biomarkers in professional soccer players: a longitudinal study

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Abstract

Background

Variations in body composition and cardiometabolic health biomarkers may affect the physical performance of elite athletes throughout the season.

Aims

To investigate the changes in body composition, cardiometabolic health biomarkers and food consumption throughout the season of male professional soccer players.

Methods

Implementing a longitudinal design, sixteen athletes (25.8 ± 3.1 years, 181.0 ± 6.1 cm, 79.2 ± 6.2 kg) underwent anthropometric and biochemical evaluation in three different moments (T0, T1 and T2) every 16 weeks throughout the season and food consumption was evaluated in the end season.

Results

There was a significant reduction in body fat at the end of the season (T1 vs T2: 11.4 ± 1.5% vs 10.8 ± 1.3%; p = 0.007) and a modest increase in fat-free mass at the same point (T1 vs T2: 48.7 ± 1.4% vs 49.0 ± 1.2%; p = 0.016) with no changes in weight. There was a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose at the end of season (T1 vs T2: 86.6 ± 3.72 mg/dl vs 77.2 ± 4.2 mg/dl; p = 0.000).A reduced hemoglobin concentration was found (T0 vs T2: 15.7 ± 0.8 mg/dl vs 15.0 ± 0.7 mg/dl; p = 0.008), but no changes in hematocrit were observed during the season (p = 0.955). The food consumption of the athletes presented a reduced intake in cereals and pasta (p = 0.000), fruits (p = 0.026) and vegetables (p = 0.000) at the end of the season.

Conclusion

Elite soccer players presented modest improvement or sustained values in body composition and cardiometabolic health biomarkers during the season, despite nutritional inadequacies being observed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil

    Victor Araujo Ferreira Matos

  2. Methodist University Center, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Cintia Scheuemann de Carvalho & Ana Paula Trussardi Fayh

  3. Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Campus University, Natal, 59078-970, Brazil

    Ana Paula Trussardi Fayh

Authors
  1. Victor Araujo Ferreira Matos
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  2. Cintia Scheuemann de Carvalho
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  3. Ana Paula Trussardi Fayh
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ana Paula Trussardi Fayh.

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The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval

The study protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Methodist University Center IPA, under protocol number 137/2006, according to Resolution 196/96 of the Ministry of Health. The study was conducted in accordance with the requirements of the declarations of Helsinki.

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All participants were informed about the procedures and signed an informed consent form prior to enrollment in the study.

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Matos, V.A.F., de Carvalho, C.S. & Fayh, A.P.T. Seasonal changes in body composition and cardiometabolic health biomarkers in professional soccer players: a longitudinal study. Sport Sci Health 16, 419–424 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-019-00617-2

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