BODY COMPOSITION AND PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT IN YOUNG VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

The aim of this work is to determine the anthropometric characteristics and body composition of young volleyball players as well as to define the posible prevalence of overweight among them. 154 subjects (68 males and 86 females), aged between 12 and 14 yr voluntary decided to participate on the study. All the outcomes were assessed following the guidelines proposed by the ISAK. The main results of the study show a higher percentage of fat mass, endomrphic component and between this one and sum of four and six skinfolds for girls. Correlation analysis showed a strong relationship between body fat mass and endomorphic component and also between this one and and sum of six skinfolds but not between the lean mass percentage and the mesomorphic component. With regard to the body mass index there were found no differences between male and female players evaluated in this study, nor between these players and other age-matched populations. Considering this index as the reference criterion, the 25 percent of the players were overweighted, a prevalence slightly higher than the one of the sedentary population. It can be concluded that there are lack of differences in body composition between male and female young volleyball players (with exception of body fat) and between young volleyball players and other athletes. Paradoxically, overweight prevalence in subjects analyzed is higher than observed in age-matched population. More studies focused on exercise intensity and on several factors that may have a direct effect on the body composition of these young players are needed.