Tracking Within-Athlete Changes in Whole-Body Fat Percentage in Wheelchair Athletes
in International Journal of Sports Physiology and PerformanceClick name to view affiliation
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Purpose: To evaluate the tracking of within-athlete changes in criterion measures of whole-body fat percentage (BF%; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) with skinfold thickness (Σ 4, 6, or 8) in wheelchair basketball players. Methods: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-derived whole BF% and Σ 4, 6, or 8 skinfolds were obtained at 5 time points over 15 months (N = 16). A linear mixed model with restricted maximum likelihood (random intercept, with identity covariance structure) to derive the within-athlete prediction error for predicting criterion BF% from Σ skinfolds was used. This prediction error allowed us to evaluate how well a simple measure of the Σ skinfolds could track criterion changes in BF %; that is, the authors derived the change in Σ skinfolds that would have to be observed in an individual athlete to conclude that a substantial change in criterion BF% had occurred. Data were log-transformed prior to analysis. Results: The Σ 8 skinfolds was the most precise practical measure for tracking changes in BF%. For the monitoring of an individual player, a change in Σ 8 skinfolds by a factor of greater than 1.28 (multiply or divide by 1.28) is associated with a practically meaningful change in BF% (≥1 percentage point). Conclusions: The Σ 8 skinfolds can track changes in BF% within individuals with reasonable precision, providing a useful field monitoring tool in the absence of often impractical criterion measures.
Goosey-Tolfrey and Keil are with the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom. Goosey-Tolfrey and Brooke-Wavell are with the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (NCSEM), Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom. Totosy de Zepetnek is with the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada. Keil is also with the English Institute of Sport, Birmingham, United Kingdom. Batterham is with the School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom.
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