Body composition of NCAA division I football players pre- and post-COVID-19 stay-at-home advisory.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic forced collegiate athletes to train at home, without access to facilities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 stay-at-home order on body composition of Division I Football Players, with a secondary aim to evaluate these changes between players with "higher" (>25 kg/m2) and "lower" (<25 kg/m2) Fat-Free Mass Index (kg/m2). METHODS: Body composition of 29 NCAA Division I Football Players (age=21.0±10 yr, Ht=186.7±5.6 cm, body mass=110.5±22.8 kg) were measured spring season (February) and prior to preseason (June). Whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans were used to determine regional (arms, legs, trunk) and total body fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), and fat-free mass (FFM). Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI) was calculated as (LM+bone mineral content [BMC])/height2); participants were stratified by FFMI higher (N.=16) and lower (N.=13). RESULTS: Total LM (mean difference±standard error 0.80±1.65 kg, P=0.016) increased from pre- to post-COVID stay-at-home. No significant changes in total FM were seen. Players with lower FFMI showed a significant decrease in trunk FM (-0.55±0.19 kg, P=0.016). Players with higher FFMI showed a significant increase in total LM (0.96±0.42 kg, P=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest no detrimental effect on body composition.