Optimizing Field Body Fat Percentage Assessment in Professional Soccer Players
Open accessAbstract
Body composition is a determinant of performance in soccer. To estimate the body fat percentage (%BF), dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is effective though this method is expensive and not readily accessible. This study examines the validity of widely used field methods based on anthropometric data and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Participants were 21 male Spanish First Division soccer players aged between 22 and 35 years. In each participant, body fat mass was determined by BIA and using 18 anthropometric equations including skinfold (SKF) measurements. DXA was used as reference. Correlation with DXA measurements was excellent for all equations and separate SKF measurements yet only moderate for BIA. However, only the equation recently developed for use in soccer players based on iliac crest and triceps SKFs showed no significant or standardized differences with DXA-derived %BF and these measurements also had the lowest bias. Our findings suggest that when DXA is not available, the best field method for %BF assessment in footballers is the equation based on iliac crest and triceps SKF. As another good option, we propose the sum of triceps, subscapular, supraspinal, and abdominal SKFs, as this combination also showed good correlation with DXA.
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Several published studies point to a low correlation of FM results between BIA and DXA in professional soccer players, in contrast to some anthropometric formulas.
“In addition, several published studies point to the existence of a low correlation of FM results between BIA and DXA in professional soccer players, in contrast to some anthropometric formulas [91,99], in agreement with the results of this work.”
From Body Composition of Male Professional Soccer Players Using Different Measurement Methods: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2023) · cites this paper as [99]
Martínez-Ferran et al. found that the formula proposed by Suarez-Arrones et al., 2018, and the sum of four skinfolds had the highest agreement with DXA for assessing FM in professional soccer players.
“Recently, Martínez-Ferran et al. tested 21 professional soccer players from the Spanish league to discover which FM formula and sum of skinfolds correlated best with DXA as the gold standard method when assessing FM. The formula proposed by Suarez-Arrones et al., 2018, and the sum of four skinfolds (triceps, subscapular, supraspinale, and abdominal) were found to have the highest agreement [99].”
From Body Composition of Male Professional Soccer Players Using Different Measurement Methods: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2023) · cites this paper as [99]
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- Authors
- Martinez-Ferran, M., Rafei, E., Romero-Morales, C., Pérez-Ruiz, M., Lam-Meléndez, A., Munguia-Izquierdo, D., & Pareja-Galeano, H.
- Affiliations
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Europea de Madrid (ES)
- Department of Health and Human Performance, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- CD Leganés Medical Services, 28918 Madrid, Spain
- Physical Performance and Sports Research Center, Department of Sports and Computer Science, Section of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Department of Physical Education, Sport and Human Movement, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain
- Venue
- Applied Sciences
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2022-01-12
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 727
- ISSN
- 2076-3417 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4205344376
- Cited by
- 14
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4
- FWCI
- 1.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Applied Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Archivo Digital UPM (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Biblos-e Archivo (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos (University of Burgos) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Hispana (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Hispana (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Physical Education and Training Studies
- Keywords
- body fat percentage, soccer players, anthropometric equations, skinfold thickness, bioelectrical impedance analysis, triceps skinfold thickness, body composition, professional football players
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