Tracking Within-Athlete Changes in Whole-Body Fat Percentage in Wheelchair Athletes

• Published in: International journal of sports physiology and performance Vol. 16; no. 1; p. 13
• Main Authors: Goosey-Tolfrey, Victoria L, de Zepetnek, Julia O Totosy, Keil, Mhairi, Brooke-Wavell, Katherine, Batterham, Alan M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2021
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Adipose Tissue; Anthropometry - methods; Basketball; Body Composition; Humans; Para-Athletes; Skinfold Thickness; spinal cord injury; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; paralympic; sum of skinfold thickness; wheelchair basketball
• ISSN: 1555-0273
• DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2019-0867

To evaluate the tracking of within-athlete changes in criterion measures of whole-body fat percentage (BF%; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) with skinfold thickness (Σ 4, 6, or 8) in wheelchair basketball players. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-derived whole BF% and Σ 4, 6, or 8 skinfolds were obtained at 5 time points over 15 months (N = 16). A linear mixed model with restricted maximum likelihood (random intercept, with identity covariance structure) to derive the within-athlete prediction error for predicting criterion BF% from Σ skinfolds was used. This prediction error allowed us to evaluate how well a simple measure of the Σ skinfolds could track criterion changes in BF %; that is, the authors derived the change in Σ skinfolds that would have to be observed in an individual athlete to conclude that a substantial change in criterion BF% had occurred. Data were log-transformed prior to analysis. The Σ 8 skinfolds was the most precise practical measure for tracking changes in BF%. For the monitoring of an individual player, a change in Σ 8 skinfolds by a factor of greater than 1.28 (multiply or divide by 1.28) is associated with a practically meaningful change in BF% (≥1 percentage point). The Σ 8 skinfolds can track changes in BF% within individuals with reasonable precision, providing a useful field monitoring tool in the absence of often impractical criterion measures.