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AEROBIC CAPACITY, BODY MASS INDEX AND FAT FOLD

MEASUREMENTS OF HEALTHY ATHLETES IN DEHRADUN – A CR OSS

SECTIONAL STUDY

Sharma Chetan, MPT (Sports), Dr. Dar Shahid Mohd., MPT (Orthopedic and Sports)

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The Aim of Present study was done to assess the Percent Body fat, Body Mass Index and VO2

Max for the athletes of Dehradun. The study would create a data for athletes in Dehradun involved in various

sporting activities which would catagorised the subject having recommended parameters of fitness.

METHODOLOGY: A survey Study with measurement of Aerobic capacity, Body Mass Index and Percent

Body Fat was done. Total of 96 subjects was included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Convenience Sampling was used for the selection of participants. Descriptive Statistics has been used for the

analysis of the data. RESULTS: A sample of 96 Athletes with Mean Age (15.634±2.54 years) had a mean

Percent Body Fat 10.537±3.51 percent, mean Body Mass Index 18.654±1.64 kg/m2 and mean VO2 Max is

41.943±6.777 ml/kg/min. CONCLUSION: There was no significant correlation found between VO2 max,

Body Mass Index and Percent Body Fat.

KEY WORDS: Aerobic capacity, Body Mass Index, VO2 Max, Percent Body Fat, 20 m Shuttle Run Test.

INTRODUCTION

Direct measurement of maximum oxygen

uptake (VO2max) is recognized as the best single

index of aerobic fitness, but the test of the direct

measurement of cardiorespiratory endurance

(VO2max) itself is difficult, exhausting and often

hazardous to perform regardless the type of

ergometer used. Since the direct testing procedure

is rather complicated on larger populations, several

indirect running and walking field tests have been

Scientific Research Journal of India ● Volume: 2, Issue: 3, Year: 2013

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developed. Scientists often calculate VO2max with

indirect protocols. It has been stated that equations

for predicting VO2max indirectly using field tests

are very sensitive to populations tested on.

Therefore, before applying any indirect protocol

for prediction of VO2max, the validity of the test

should be established in a particular population.4

Body mass index (BMI) is used as a

surrogate for percent fat in classifying obesity.

However, there is no established criterion for

percent fat and health risk, and few studies have

examined the validity of Body Mass Index as a

measure of Percent fat. Body Mass Index is used

to classify athletes and young adults as obese.

Consequently, it is critical to understand the

accuracy of Body Mass Index in this populations.1

Body mass index is currently the most frequently

used and widely accepted method to classify

medical risk according to weight status. Body

Mass Index is a useful measure of adiposity in

young and middle-aged athletes.5

Body composition determined from

skinfold measurements correlates well (r = 0.70–

0.90) with body composition determined by hydro

densitometry. The principle behind this technique

is that the amount of subcutaneous fat is

proportional to the total amount of body fat. It is

assumed that close to one third of the total fat is

located subcutaneously. The exact proportion of

subcutaneous-to-total fat varies with sex, age, and

ethnicity. Therefore, regression equations used to

convert sum of skinfolds to percent body fat must

consider these variables for greatest accuracy. To

improve the accuracy of the measurement, it is

recommended that one train with a skilled

technician, use video media that demonstrate

proper technique, participate in workshops, and

increase experience in a supervised practical

environment. The accuracy of predicting percent

fat from skinfolds is approximately ± 3.5%

assuming that appropriate techniques and

equations have been used.1

METHODOLOGY

Design

This is a Cross sectional study. All the

subjects were recruited from the various sports

center from Dehradun.

Sampling

Total of 96 subjects were chosen as per the

inclusion and exclusion criteria, and informed

consent was obtained from all the subjects after the

procedure was explained to them.

Procedure:

20 Meter shuttle run test: The 20 Meter

Shuttle Run Test was administered in a sports field

using the original protocol (Leger and Lambert,

1986) but utilizing a different scoring system

developed by the Human Performance Laboratory

at The Queen's University of Belfast.7 The 20

Meter Shuttle Run test involves running between

two lines set 20 meters apart at a pace dictated by

a cassette recording emitting tones at appropriate

intervals. The test score achieved by the subject is

the number of 20 meter laps completed before the

subject either withdraws voluntarily from the test.

Scoring by aps differs from the "paliers", 6 used in

the original version of the test. The test is made up

of 23 levels where each level lasts approximately

one minute. Each level comprises of a series of

20m shuttle runs where the starting speed is 8.5

km/hr and increases by 0.5km/hr at each level. On

the tape/Compact Disc a single beep indicates the

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end of a shuttle and 3 beeps indicates the start of

the next level.

Body Mass Index: The Body Mass Index

is used to assess weight relative to height and is

calculated by dividing body weight in kilograms

by height in meters squared (kg.m-2).1

Skinfold Measurement: Body composition

determined from skin fold measurements.

Seven Site Formula for Men (chest, mid-axillary,

triceps, subscapular, abdomen, Supra iliac, thigh).

Body density = 1.112 - 0.00043499 (sum of seven

skinfolds) + 0.00000055 (sum of seven

skinfolds)2- 0.00028826 (age) [SEE 0.008 or

~3.5% fat).1

RESULTS:

Means and standard deviations of athletes

in Dehradun, predicted VO2max by the 20-m

multi stage shuttle run test, Age, Body mass index

and Percent body fat were presented in the Table

1.

Table 1:- Mean and Standard deviation for Age,

Percent Body fat, Body Mass Index and Vo2 max

in total no. of subjects.

Figure 1: Mean with Standard deviation of Age,

Percent body fat, Body mass index and VO2 max

in total no of subjects.

Table 2: Correlation between Body Mass Index

and VO2 Max as well as Percent Body fat and Vo2

max in total no. of Subjects.

No significant variation was observed (p >

0.05) between the values of Body Mass Index and

VO2max as well as Percent Body Fat and Vo2

max. Correlation was done for comparison

between Percent Body fat and VO2 Max was found

that r = 0.058 which is not significant (p = 0.576)

and another Correlation has been done between

Body Mass Index and VO2 max was found to be r

= -0.037 which is also not significant (p = 0.721),

thus finding not significant between the respective

variables.

DISCUSSION

The Aim of Present study was done to

assess the Percent Body fat, Body Mass Index and

VO2 Max for the athletes of Dehradun. The

athletes were recruited mainly from different types

of sports those who participate in sporting

activities in different colleges and academies. A

sample of 96 Athletes with Mean Age

(15.634±2.54 years) had a mean Percent Body Fat

10.537±3.51 percent, mean Body Mass Index

18.654±1.64 kg/m2 and mean VO2 Max is

41.943±6.777 ml/kg/min. In this study Pearson

Correlation was done for comparison between

Percent Body fat and VO2 Max was found that r =

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0.058 which is not significant (p > .05) and

another Correlation has been done between Body

Mass Index and VO2 max was found to be r = -

0.037 which is also not significant (p > .05), thus

finding not significant between the respective

variables.

In the present study it has been found that

Mean Vo2 max for 96 active athletes of age group

of 10-30 years in five different kinds of sports is

(41.943 ml/kg/min), while in a similar study was

done by S. K. VERMA et al. Department of

Human Biology, Punjabi University, Patiala who

found that the mean V02 max in 96 active athletes

age group of 17-25 years was 48.4 ± 5.1 ml/kg/min

with a highest value of 56.4 ml/kg/min and lowest

value of 44.2 ml/kg/min. Which is slightly higher

as compared to V02 max values recorded in the

present study, this probably can be due to the

greater body surface area of athletes in S.K.

Verma’s study where the age group of the subjects

was greater (17-25 years).9 Where as in the present

study the maximum sample obtained was in the

range of 10-20 years because of non-availability of

the athletes in the elder age group. As the age

increases the body surface area increases as is

already proved and the increase in the aerobic

capacity with age is also a well-established fact,4

so our values of less vo2max readings in subjects

of lesser age group than readings of other studies

is quite well understood. Hence forth we

recommend that in future the studies should make

sure that the sample possess the even distribution

of all age groups i.e.… 10-30 years.

As far as Body Mass Index of male

athletes in Dehradun is concerned, the present

study found that the mean of Body Mass Index

was 18.654±1.64 kg/m2. Percent body fat is

10.537±3.51 percentage. In support of present

study Wan Nudri WD et al. from Division of

Human Nutrition, Institute for Medical Research,

Kuala Lumpur, has found mean Body Mass Index

of athletes with age of (23.9±4.2 years) is

(22.9±3.5 kg/m2)10 the probable reason for the

difference between Body Mass Index of both study

is the age. However it was clear that the athletes

who had reduced level of Body Mass Index were

due to lean muscle mass.28 From 5 to 16 years of

age, boy’s relative muscle mass increases from

about 42–54% of body mass.2

A paper review done by American Dietetic

Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the

American College of Sports Medicine stated that

the male athletes with the lowest estimates of body

fat (less than 6%) include middle-distance and

long-distance runners and bodybuilders, whereas

male basketball players, cyclists, gymnasts,

sprinters, jumpers, triathletes, and wrestlers

average between 6% to 15% body fat. Male

athletes involved in power sports such as football,

rugby, and ice and field hockey have slightly more

variable body fat levels 6% to 19%.8 The present

study is done on population of Dehradun, India.

Although, there may be racial differences between

both the populations, it was found that level of

percent body fat had a similarity.

In this study a Correlation between percent

body fat and Vo2max also was done and study

found that the two variables are not significantly

correlated (r=.058, p > .05) . Similarly Body Mass

Index and Vo2max also were found to be

correlated non-significantly (r = -.037, p > .05).

This is in contradiction with other studies done in

the past who have found a positive correlation

between BMI and Percent body fat with VO2

max.10 The reason for non-significant correlation

in present study could be due to the non-

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homogeneity of the sample of our study, i.e….in

present study athletes from all the games with

different Body Composition were included, which

could have given a unexpected result.

CONCLUSION:

Study is done to access VO2 max, Body mass

index and Percent body fat in a sample of 96

athletes, found out Mean VO2 max was

41.943±6.777 ml/kg/min, mean Body mass index

was 18.654±1.64 kg/m2 and mean Percent body fat

was 10.537±3.51 percent. There was no significant

correlation was found between Variables which

could have been because of non-homogenous

group.

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exercise testing and prescription. 7thed. New York. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2006; p. 64.

2. Armstrong N, Grant R Tomkinson GR, Ekelund Ulf. Aerobic fitness and its relationship to sport,

exercise training and habitual physical activity during youth. Br J Sports Med. 2011; 45:849–858.

doi:10.1136/850 bjsports-2011-090200.

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resonance imaging and skinfold-thickness measurements in healthy adolescent females. Am J Cliii

Nutr. 1997; 66: 223-31.

4. Leger L, Gadoury C et al. Validity of the 20 m shuttle run test with 1 min stages to predict VO2max

in adults. Can J Sport Sci. 1989; 14(1):21-6.

5. Leitzmann MF, Moore sc, Koster a, Harris tb, Park y, et al. (2011) Waist Circumference as Compared

with Body-Mass Index in Predicting Mortality from Specific Causes. Plos One. 2011 April; 6(4):

e18582. Doi:10.1371.

6. Mechelen W.V, Hlobil H, Kemper H.C.G. Validation of two running tests as estimates of maximal

aerobic power in children. European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology.

1986; 55 (5), 503-506, DOI: 10.1007/BF00421645.

7. Paliczka V.J, Nichols A.K, boreham C.A.G. A multi-stage shuttle runs as a predictor of running

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8. The American College of Sports Medicine, The American Dietetic Association, The Dietitians of

Canada. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & science in sports & exercise. 2000; 0195-

9131/00/3212-2130/0.

9. Verma S. K, L. S. Sidhu, Kansal D. K. Aerobic work capacity in young sedentary men and Active

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CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:

Scientific Research Journal of India ● Volume: 2, Issue: 3, Year: 2013

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*M.P.T. (Neurology)., F.N.R., P.G.C.D.E. Health Care Consultant, Bharathidasan Matric Hr Sec School,

Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu, India. & Consultant Physical Therapist, Star Health Care Center, Kanchipuram,

Tamilnadu, India.

**Bachelors in Physiotherapy (India), PG Dip Sci - Exercise Rehabilitation (Clinical Exercise Physiology),

University of Auckland, New Zealand.