Fat gain in female swimmers

The association between diet and body composition was investigated in 6 elite female swimmers subjected to a 13-month nutritional supervision and in 11 female untrained subjects matched for fat-free mass. The impact of a 2-month interruption of training on diet and body composition was also studied in the swimmers. A positive correlation was observed between the percentage of dietary energy as fat and percent body fat in the untrained subjects (r = 0.68, p < 0.05). When values of the swimmers were incorporated in the regression analysis, the correlation coefficient remained the same. Following detraining for 2 months, a 4.8-kg body weight gain, including 4.3 kg fat mass, was observed. The energy equivalent of these morphological changes was 170 MJ and corresponded to about the amount of energy that would have been normally expended during this detraining period. In conclusion, these results suggest that the association between diet and body composition is not altered by exercise training, and that body far gain occurs in response to detraining, perhaps to promote the restoration of energy and fat balance. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.