Int J Sports Med 2010; 31(2): 106-109
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1241863
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Body Composition of 161-km Ultramarathoners

M. D. Hoffman1 , D. K. Lebus2 , A. C. Ganong3 , G. A. Casazza2 , M. Van. Loan4
  • 1Department of Veterans Affairs, Northern California Health Care System, and University of California Davis Medical Center, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sacramento, United States
  • 2University of California Davis Medical Center, Sports Medicine Program, Sacramento, United States
  • 3University of California Davis Medical Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sacramento, United States
  • 4US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Davis, United States
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

accepted after revision September 23, 2009

Publikationsdatum:
17. Dezember 2009 (online)

Abstract

This study compares body composition characteristics with performance among participants in a 161-km trail ultramarathon. Height, mass, and percent body fat from bioimpedance spectroscopy were measured on 72 starters (17 women, 55 men). Correlation analyses were used to compare body characteristics with finish time, and unpaired t-tests were used to compare characteristics of finishers with non-finishers. Mean (±SD) BMI (kg · m−2) was 24.8±2.7 (range 19.1–32.2) for the men and 21.2±2.1 (range 18.1–26.7) for the women. Among the three fastest runners, BMI values ranged from 22.1 to 23.4 for men and 21.5 to 22.9 for women. Mean (±SD) percent body fat values for men and women were 17±5 (range 5–35) and 21±6 (range 10–29), and ranged from 6 to 14 and 14 to 27 among the fastest three men and women. There was a significant positive correlation (r2=0.23; p=0.0025) between percent body fat and finish time for men but not for women, and percent body fat values were lower for finishers than non-finishers for men (p=0.03) and women (p=0.04). We conclude that despite wide variations in BMI and percent body fat among ultramarathon participants, the faster men have lower percent body fat values than the slower men, and finishers have lower percent body fat values than non-finishers.

References

  • 1 Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, 2nd ed. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates 1988
  • 2 Hoffman MD. Anthropometric characteristics of ultramarathoners.  Int J Sports Med. 2008;  29: 808-811
  • 3 Knechtle B, Knechtle P, Schulze I, Kohler G. Upper arm circumference is associated with race performance in ultra-endurance runners.  Br J Sports Med. 2008;  42 295-299
  • 4 Knechtle B, Wirth A, Knechtle P, Zimmermann K, Kohler G. Personal best marathon performance is associated with performance in a 24-h run and not anthropometry or training volume.  Br J Sports Med. 2009;  43 836-839
  • 5 St-Onge MP. Relationship between body composition changes and changes in physical function and metabolic risk factors in aging.  Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2005;  8 523-528
  • 6 Van Loan MD, Withers P, Matthie J, Mayclin PL. Use of Bioimpedance Spectroscopy to Determine Extracellular Fluid, Intracellular Fluid, Total Body Water, and Fat-Free Mass. In: Ellis KJ (ed). Human Body Composition: In Vivo Measurement and Studies. New York: Plenum Publishing Co 1993: 67-70

Correspondence

Dr. Martin D. HoffmanMD 

Department of Veterans Affairs,

Northern California Health

Care System and University

of California Davis Medical

Center, Department of Physical

Medicine & Rehabilitation

10535 Hospital Way (117)

95655-1200 Sacramento,

California, United States

Telefon: 916-843-9027

Fax: 916-843-7345

eMail: martin.hoffman@va.gov