A Comparison of Anthropometric Parameters and the Body Composition of Professional Soccer Players

The present cross-sectional (comparative) study aimed to compare the anthropometric and body composition parameters in professional soccer players over five seasons. It was conducted on 120 soccer players grouped in a cohort of 24 subjects per year. The age range was 18 to 37 years. The footballers were evaluated at the beginning of each season from 2012 to 2016; weight, height, six skin folds (triceps, subscapularis, supra-iliac, abdominal, thigh, and calf) were evaluated from 2012 to 2015. The Body Mass Index (BM I), fat percentage, fat mass, and FFM were calculated. The adipose tissue was grouped into three groups: arm (triceps + subscapular), trunk (supra iliac + abdominal), and legs (thigh + calf). Body weight, height, the sum of the 6 folds, and the MLG varied during the 5 years. For 2012 the results were the following: Weight, 76.6 +/- 7.8kg; Height, 177.6 +/- 5.7cm; Folds, 58.7 +/- 12.8mm; MLG, 64.5 +/- 6.3mm). In 2013, these were the results: Weight, 77.8 +/- 6.4kg, Height, I78, 4 +/- 4.4; Folds, 60.1 +/- 15.9mm; MLG, 66.3 +/- 3.5mm). These were the measures obtained in 2014: Weight, 74.9 +/- 5.7kg; Height, 177.0 +/- 5.8cm; Folds, 54.4 +/- 14.7mm; MLG, 64.5 +/- 4.5kg ). And these were of the year 2015: Weight, 74.1 +/- 6.8kg, Height, 176.1 +/- 5.5cm; Folds, 54.9 +/- 15.6mm; MI,G, 63.8 +/- 4.6kg). Finally, in 2016 these were the measures collected: Weight, 72.7 +/- kg; Height, 175.3 +/- 6.9 kg; Folds, 50.8 +/- 12.mm; MLG, 62.8 +/- 5.9kg. This study verified that the soccer players' anthropometric profile and adipose tissue decreased each season, while the MLG reflected similar values in each of the evaluated cohorts.