Body Composition in Elite Soccer Players from Youth to Senior Squad.

There is a strong relationship between body composition and performance in male soccer players. This study aimed to display an optimal body height and weight, and body composition profile of male soccer players for four competitive age groups. This cross-sectional study included four groups: U-15 (n = 152), U-17 (n = 154), U-19 (n = 61), and seniors (n = 27). Body height and weight were measured under standard conditions, and the bioelectrical impedance analyzer (BIA) analyzed body composition. On average, soccer players in the U-15 group had significantly lower body height, weight, body mass index, skeletal muscle mass, fat-free mass, total body water and basal metabolic rate than U-17, U-19 and seniors, but a higher percentage of body fat than U-17 and U-19, p < 0.05. In addition, the results show significant non-linear increases in body height, weight and body composition as the age of soccer players increases, with the exception of the percentage of body fat mass, which tends to significantly decrease with age. The main findings of this study are that body fat mass remains stable and similar across all age groups, including in the senior squad.

Short-Term FIFA 11+ Improves Agility and Jump Performance in Young Soccer Players.

Studies dealing with the effectiveness of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) 11+ prevention program to improve performance outcomes in children aged < 14 years are limited. This study aimed to point out the effects of the application of short-term FIFA 11+ warm-up program on physical performance in young football players. Participants were 36 youth male football players, divided into a FIFA 11+ (n = 19; mean (SD) age: 11.15 (0.79) y) and a control group (CG: n = 17; age: 10.87 (0.8) y) and trained for 4 weeks. Before and after the training period, standing long jump performance, agility, repeated sprint ability, sit and reach, and "30-15" intermittent fitness tests were assessed. A mixed ANOVA showed significant differences between the groups in the standing long jump test (FIFA 11+: 5.6% vs. CG: -1.9%) in favor of FIFA 11+ over CG. Additionally, the FIFA 11+ performance of the Illinois agility test was significantly better compared to the CG performance (FIFA 11+: -1.9% vs. CG: 0.03%). The main findings of this study suggest that just 4 weeks of implementation of the FIFA 11+ improves physical performance compared with traditional warm-up routines in young soccer players.

Seasonal body composition variations in adolescent soccer players / Variaciones estacionales de composición corporal en jugadores adolescentes de fútbol

The aim of this study was to examine seasonal variations in body composition in adolescent soccer players. A total of 64 young male soccer players (aged 14-18 years) were recruited for this research. Body composition was assessed using the Bioelectric impedance analysis. The variables were body mass, body fat, muscle mass, fat free mass, total body water, BMI, body fat %, basic metabolic rate. Body mass did not change across the three measurement occasions. Body fat mass and body fat % significantly changed between test intervals (p≤0.05). There were no significant differences in other variables between measurements performed during the season. In conclusion, body fat has changed significantly from the start of the season to the end of the competitive period in adolescent soccer players, in accordance with earlier studies.

El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar las variaciones estacionales en la composición corporal en jugadores adolescentes de fútbol. Un total de 64 jóvenes jugadores de fútbol masculino (14-18 años de edad) fueron reclutados para esta investigación. La composición corporal se evaluó mediante el uso del análisis de impedancia bioeléctrica. Las variables fueron masa corporal, grasa corporal, masa muscular, masa libre de grasa, agua corporal total, IMC, porcentaje de grasa corporal, tasa metabólica básica. La masa corporal no cambió en las tres ocasiones de medición. La masa de grasa corporal y el porcentaje de grasa corporal cambiaron significativamente entre los intervalos de prueba (p≤0.05). No hubo diferencias significativas en otras variables entre las mediciones realizadas durante la temporada. En conclusión y de acuerdo a estudios anteriores, la grasa corporal cambió significativamente desde el inicio de la temporada hasta el final del período competitivo en jugadores adolescentes de fútbol.

Application of a more advanced procedure in defining morphological types / Aplicación de un procedimiento más avanzado en la definición de tipos morfológicos

It is well known that the most evident differences in humans are those related to anthropometric characteristics, and that during continuous monitoring the relation between human behavior and human abilities concerning their anthropometric characteristics was observed. The aim of this study was to detect and define the morphological types with the use of slightly different and more advanced methodologies. The sample included 149 male subjects, first-year students of the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education in Novi Sad, using an anthropometric measurement technique. A total of 12 anthropometric measures, defined according to the four-dimensional morphological model was used. For all variables, basic descriptive statistics were calculated while student grouping was performed using taxonomic neural network ­ Intruder. Initial taxonomic classification of artificial entities by neural network Intruder accepted four clusters: endomorph or pyknic, ectomorph or leptosomic, astenomorph and gracile type. The results indicate that the identification and definition of morphological types with the use of a slightly different and more advanced procedure leads to better and earlier perception of certain characteristics which are necessary, both for the selection of specific sports, and in the prevention of various diseases and abnormalities in behavior and functioning.

Es bien sabido que las diferencias más evidentes en los seres humanos son aquellas relacionadas con las características antropométricas, lo cual fue observado durante el monitoreo continuo de la relación entre el comportamiento humano y las capacidades humanas. El objetivo de este estudio fue detectar y definir los tipos morfológicos con el uso de metodologías diferentes y más avanzadas. La muestra incluyó 149 sujetos hombres, estudiantes de primer año de la Facultad de Educación Física y Deportiva en Novi Sad, utilizando una técnica de medición antropométrica. Utilizamos un total de 12 medidas antropométricas, que se definieron de acuerdo con el modelo morfológico de cuatro dimensiones. Para todas las variables se calcularon los estadísticos descriptivos básicos, mientras que la agrupación estudiantil se realizó a través de red neuronal - Intruder. Para la clasificación taxonómica inicial de entidades artificiales por red neuronal Intruder se aceptaron cuatro grupos: endomorfo o pícnico, ectomorfo o leptosomo, astenomorfo y tipo grácil. Los resultados indican que la identificación y definición de los tipos morfológicos con el uso de un procedimiento algo diferente y más avanzado conduce a una mejor percepción de ciertas características que son necesarias, tanto para la selección de deportes específicos, como para la prevención de diversas enfermedades y alteraciones en el comportamiento y funcionamiento.

Correlation between subjective and objective nasal breathing assessments in examinees with nasal septum deformities.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Nasal obstruction is one of the most frequent disorders because of which patients see their Ear, Nose and Throath (ENT) doctors. Impaired nose breath ing is a subjective symptom and it often does not coincide with clinical nose findings and functional tests of breath ing function. Therefore, the aim of this study was to es tablish if there is an accordance between a subjective nose breathing assessment and objective methods (rhinoma nometry and acoustic rhinometry) in assessing nose breathing function in patients with diverse nasal septum deformity degrees, as well as to establish an accordance between these two objective methods. METHODS: This study involved the total of 90 examinees divided into three groups. The group I consisted of examinees with nasal septum deformities less than 10 degrees. The group II consisted of examinees with nasal septum deformities ranged from 10 degrees to 15 degrees. The group III involved examinees with nasal septum deformities over 15 degrees. Each examinee had subjec tively graded his/her nasal breathing on the side of the nose septum deformity from 0 to 10, and afterwards the whole noses. Rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry were done on the side of the nasal septum deformities and after that on the other side of the nose using the Interacoustics SRE 2000 device. RESULTS: In the groups II and III there was a positive correlation between a subjective nose breathing assessment and rhinomanometric values both on the side of the nasal septum deformities and the nose as a whole, (p < 0.05), and no correlation between these traits in the group I (p > 0.05). In none of the exam ined groups correlation was found between a subjective nose breathing assessment and rhinometric values, both minimum cross-sectional area (MCA) and volume (VOL), both on the side of the nasal septum deformities and the nose as a whole (p > 0.05). There was no correlation found between rhinomanometric and rhinometric MCA and VOL values in either on the sides of nasal septum deformities or the nose as a whole in any of the examined groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Rhinomanometry significantly correlates with the subjective nose breathing assessment and it can be used as a reliable and objective indicator of nose breathing in everyday clinical practice. Acoustic rhinometry, on the other hand, which does not correlate with a subjective nose breathing assessment could have a greater significance in a scientific sense than in clinical applying.

Body height and its estimation utilizing arm span measurements in Serbian adults / Altura corporal y su estimación utilizando mediciones de envergadura en adultos serbios

Anthropologists recognized the tallness of nations in the Dinaric Alps long time ago. As the modern Serbians fall more into the Dinaric racial classification than any other does, the purpose of this study was to examine the body height in Serbian adults as well as the relationship between arm span as an alternative to estimating the body height, which vary in different ethnic and racial groups. The nature and scope of this study analyzes 394 students (318 men, aged 20.13±1.47 and 76 women, aged 19.59±1.46) from the University of Novi Sad to be subjects. The anthropometric measurements were taken according to the protocol of the ISAK. Means and standard deviations were obtained. A comparison of means of body heights and arm spans within each gender group and between genders were carried out using a t-test. The relationships between body height and arm span were determined using simple correlation coefficients and their 95% confidence interval. Then a linear regression analysis was performed to examine the extent to which the arm span can reliably predict body height. The results have shown that male Serbians are 181.96±6.74 cm tall and have an arm span of 184.78±8.41 cm, while female Serbians are 166.82±5.88 cm tall and have an arm span of 164.67±8.09 cm. Compared to other studies, the results of this study have shown that both genders make Serbian population one of the tallest nations on the earth. Moreover, the arm span reliably predicts body height in both genders. However, the estimation equations, which were obtained in Serbians, are substantially different alike in other populations, since arm span was close to body heights: in men 2.82±4.89 cm more than the body height and in women 2.15±4.68 cm less than the body height. This confirms the necessity for developing separate height models for each population.

Los antropólogos estimaron la altura de las naciones en los Alpes Dináricos hace mucho tiempo. Como los Serbios modernos caen en la clasificación racial de Dináricos, el propósito de este estudio fue examinar la altura corporal en adultos serbios, así como la relación con la longitud de la envergadura de brazo a brazo como una alternativa a la estimación de la altura corporal, que varía en los diferentes grupos étnicos y raciales. Se analizó a 394 estudiantes (318 hombres y 76 mujeres, con edades entre 20,13±1,47 años y 19,59±1,46 años, respectivamente) de la Universidad de Novi Sad. Las medidas antropométricas fueron tomadas de acuerdo con el protocolo de ISAK, obteniendo Medias y DE. La comparación de la media de altura corporal y envergadura dentro de cada grupo y entre sexos se realizó con la prueba t. Las relaciones entre estatura y envergaduras se determinaron mediante coeficientes de correlación simple, con un intervalo de confianza del 95%. También se realizó un análisis de regresión lineal para examinar el grado en que la envergadura puede prever con exactitud la altura corporal. Los resultados mostraron que los hombres Serbios tienen una altura de 181,96±6,74 cm, y una envergadura de 184,78±8,41 cm, mientras que las mujeres una altura de 166,82±5,88 cm y una envergadura de 164,67±8,09 cm. En comparación con otros estudios, estos resultados demuestran que para ambos sexos, la población Serbia es una de las más altas. Por otra parte, la envergadura predice confiablemente la altura corporal en ambos sexos. Sin embargo, las ecuaciones de estimación obtenidas en esta población son sustancialmente diferentes a otras poblaciones, ya que la envergadura fue cercana a la altura corporal: en hombres 2,82±4,89 cm mayor a la altura corporal y en mujeres 2,15±4,68 cm menor a ésta. Esto confirma la necesidad de desarrollar diferentes modelos de para determinar la altura en cada población.