Body Fat Assessment in International Elite Soccer Referees

• Published in: Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology Vol. 5; no. 2; pp. 38 - 0
• Main Authors: Petri, Cristian, Campa, Francesco, Hugo Teixeira, Vitor, Izzicupo, Pascal, Galanti, Giorgio, Pizzi, Angelo, Badicu, Georgian, Mascherini, Gabriele
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 06.06.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Adipose tissue; anthropometry; body composition; DXA; equation; fat mass; Physiological aspects; Referees; Soccer; United Kingdom; soccer; body composition; skinfolds; anthropometry; equation; fat mass; DXA; somatotype
• ISSN: 2411-5142; 2411-5142
• DOI: 10.3390/jfmk5020038

Soccer referees are a specific group in the sports population that are receiving increasing attention from sports scientists. A lower fat mass percentage (FM%) is a useful parameter to monitor fitness status and aerobic performance, while being able to evaluate it with a simple and quick field-based method can allow a regular assessment. The aim of this study was to provide a specific profile for referees based on morphological and body composition features while comparing the accuracy of different skinfold-based equations in estimating FM% in a cohort of soccer referees. Forty-three elite international soccer referees (age 38.8 ± 3.6 years), who participated in the 2018 Russian World Cup, underwent body composition assessments with skinfold thickness and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Six equations used to derive FM% from skinfold thickness were compared with DXA measurements. The percentage of body fat estimated using DXA was 18.2 ± 4.1%, whereas skinfold-based FM% assessed from the six formulas ranged between 11.0% ± 1.7% to 15.6% ± 2.4%. Among the six equations considered, the Faulkner's formula showed the highest correlation with FM% estimated by DXA (r = 0.77; R = 0.59 < 0.001). Additionally, a new skinfold-based equation was developed: FM% = 8.386 + (0.478 × iliac crest skinfold) + (0.395 × abdominal skinfold, r = 0.78; R = 0.61; standard error of the estimate (SEE) = 2.62 %; < 0.001). Due to these findings, national and international federations will now be able to perform regular body composition assessments using skinfold measurements.