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Abdominal body composition differences in NFL football players
Tyler A Bosch1, T Pepper Burruss, Nate L Weir
11Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota; 2Green Bay Packers Professional Football Team, Green Bay, Wisconsin; 3GE Healthcare, Madison, Wisconsin; and 4School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
|September 5, 2014
Summary
National Football League (NFL) players accumulate more fat than lean mass as they increase in size, with abdominal fat increasing disproportionately. Monitoring these fat thresholds is crucial for performance and health.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Human Physiology
- Body Composition Analysis
Background:
- Body composition, particularly abdominal fat, impacts athletic performance and health.
- Understanding regional fat distribution in elite athletes is essential for injury prevention and performance optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate visceral fat mass and abdominal body composition in National Football League (NFL) players before the season.
- To identify potential thresholds for fat accumulation in relation to body mass and playing position.
Main Methods:
- Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure regional fat and lean mass in 370 NFL players.
- Players were categorized into three position groups: linemen; linebackers/tight ends/running backs; and wide receivers/defensive backs.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in regional fat and lean mass were observed between player position groups, with fat mass differences being more pronounced.
- A body mass threshold of approximately 114 kg was identified, beyond which fat accumulation increased more than lean mass accumulation.
- Thresholds for abdominal fat accumulation were observed at 12.1% body fat for subcutaneous and 20.1% for visceral fat.
Conclusions:
- As NFL players increase in size, fat accumulation, particularly in the abdominal region, outpaces lean mass gain.
- Increased abdominal fat may negatively affect performance and is linked to lower extremity injury risk and cardiometabolic risk.
- Monitoring abdominal fat thresholds in athletes is recommended due to its implications for health and performance.
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