Background: Researches showed that estimation of body composition parameters in competitive swimmers were affected by swimming when compared with their respective age-matched nonswimmers. These results encouraged us to reestimate the body composition parameters in our athletes with competitive swimming as their main sport.
Objective: To evaluate the body composition parameters among young male and female competitive swimmers and nonswimmers.
Materials and Methods: An observational randomized experimental study was conducted at Multispecialty Department of Physiotherapy, Bombay Hospital, Indore, India. Twenty young male and female swimmers and 20 young male and female nonswimmers were subjected toward their individualized body composition analysis with the help of Tanita BC-418 body composition analyzer, based on the principle of bioelectrical impedance, for interpreting and analyzing the body composition parameter variations.
Result: The obtained probability value for t test indicated significant levels (p < 0.02 and p < 0.05; two tailed) for basal metabolic rate (BMR) and body fat percentage, respectively, while less significant difference (p > 0.05; two tailed) was observed for height, weight, and fat-free mass. They showed higher percentage of body fat and BMR than nonswimmers and other athletes. Moreover, female swimmers showed higher percentage of body fat than male swimmers, and the fat mass was more in lower extremities than in male swimmers as they had more fat mass on trunk. In addition, swimmers revealed more fat mass on lower extremities than their upper extremities.
Conclusion: The statistical analysis and results helped us to conclude that young competitive male and female swimmers showed significant parameter differences in various body composition parameters than nonswimmers and other athletes.
Key words: Competitive swimmers, bioelectrical impedance, body composition parameters, segmental analysis
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