Scientific article
OA Policy
English

Changes in Estimated Body Composition and Physical Fitness of Adolescent Boys after One Year of Soccer Training

Published inChildren, vol. 10, no. 2, 391
Publication date2023-02-16
First online date2023-02-16
Abstract

Sports participation is one of the most popular forms of physical activity among youngsters. This study aimed to examine the changes in the estimated body composition, strength, and flexibility of adolescent boys after 12 months of soccer training compared with those of age-matched controls with non-sports participation. We assessed 137 boys (62 soccer players and 75 controls) at baseline (TM1) and 12 months later (TM2). The differences in estimated body composition, strength, and flexibility were investigated using a repeated measure analysis of variance. The analysis revealed a significant main effect of soccer training on fat mass (F = 73.503, p ≤ 0.01, η2 = 0.59) and fat-free mass (F = 39.123, p ≤ 0.01, η2 = 0.48). Over time, the soccer group decreased their fat mass and increased their fat-free mass, while the opposite results were observed for the controls. Among physical fitness tests, a substantial effect of soccer training was evidenced for the sit-up performance (F = 16.224, p ≤ 0.01, η2 = 0.32). Regarding the time factor, significant effects were noted for height and handgrip strength. No significant differences were detected for flexibility. Overall, the benefits of soccer training were exhibited by the larger improvements in fat mass, fat-free mass, sit-ups, and handgrip strength performance, underlining the important role of soccer participation during adolescence.

Keywords
  • Adolescents
  • Body composition
  • Flexibility
  • Football
  • Strength
Research groups
Funding
  • Swiss National Science Foundation - [189407]
  • LARSyS-Portuguese national funding agency for science, research, and technology (FCT) pluri-annual funding 2020-2023 - [UIDB/50009/2020]
  • System of Incentives for the Production of Scientific and Technological Knowledge in the Auton-omous Region of Madeira-PROCiência 2020 - [M1420-01-0247-FEDER-000033]
  • Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES-Overcoming vulnerability: life course perspectives, which is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation - [51NF40-185901]
Citation (ISO format)
FRANÇA, Cíntia et al. Changes in Estimated Body Composition and Physical Fitness of Adolescent Boys after One Year of Soccer Training. In: Children, 2023, vol. 10, n° 2, p. 391. doi: 10.3390/children10020391
Main files (1)
Article (Published version)
Identifiers
ISSN of the journal2227-9067
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