Body Composition Analysis Methods in Adolescent Athletes: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Human Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Accurate body composition assessment is vital for adolescent athletes.
• Current measurement techniques face challenges with accuracy and validation.
• A lack of reliable reference methods hinders evaluation of field techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the reliability and validity of body composition methods in adolescent athletes.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for best practices in this population.
• To identify gaps in current research and validation methods.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines.
• Searched PubMed and Scopus databases.
• Included studies on adolescent athletes using bioelectrical impedance analysis, DXA, ADP, and skinfolds.

Main Results:

• Body composition estimation in adolescent athletes shows moderate reliability and validity.
• Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a common reference standard but has limitations.
• Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) and hydrostatic weighing have limitations in extreme body types.
• Current predictive equations are often inadequate for athletes.
• Four-compartment models offer greater accuracy than two- or three-compartment models.

Conclusions:

• Four-compartment models are recommended for improved accuracy in adolescent athletes.
• Field methods like bioelectrical impedance analysis and skinfolds require further validation.
• Developing population-specific and athlete-specific equations is crucial.