Body Composition and Visceral Adipose Tissue in Female Collegiate Equestrian Athletes.
Abstract: To examine measures of total and regional body composition using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in NCAA Division I collegiate equestrian athletes, 31 female collegiate equestrian athletes were matched to a population of normal controls by age and body mass index. Total and regional fat tissue mass (FM), lean tissue mass (LM), bone mineral density (BMD), and abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were measured by DXA. Equestrian athletes had a significantly (p=0.03) lower total body fat percentage (%fat) than controls. There were no significant differences in total LM and VAT between equestrian athletes and controls. However, equestrian athletes, when compared to the controls, had significantly lower leg %fat, leg FM and higher leg LM. The greater leg LM in equestrian riders resulted in a smaller upper to lower body LM ratio compared to controls. There was no difference in leg BMD between equestrian athletes and controls. There were no significant differences between the 2 styles of riding (i. e., hunt seat and western style) in regards to body composition. The lower total %fat in equestrian athletes seems to be influenced by differences in leg composition, with equestrian athletes having significantly more LM and less FM.
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.
Publication Date: 2019-04-01 PubMed ID: 30934090DOI: 10.1055/a-0863-4607Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study investigates the total and regional body composition of 31 NCAA Division I female collegiate equestrian athletes by utilizing dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). It suggests that these athletes have a significantly lower total body fat percentage compared to controls, with major differences noticed particularly in their leg composition.
Research Methodology
- The study focused on 31 female collegiate equestrian athletes from the NCAA Division I and compared them with a control group matched by age and body mass index.
- Using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), the investigation took several measurements relative to body composition: total and regional fat tissue mass (FM), lean tissue mass (LM), bone mineral density (BMD), and abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT).
- This research also divided the equestrian athletes based on their riding styles – namely hunt seat and western style – to see whether this factor has any influence on body composition.
Research Findings
- Equestrian athletes had a significantly lower total body fat percentage than the control group.
- There were no noticeable differences in lean tissue mass and VAT between the athletes and controls.
- When it comes to leg composition, equestrian athletes recorded lower leg fat percentage, lower leg fat mass and higher lean tissue mass compared to the control group. This difference resulted in equestrian athletes having a smaller upper to lower body lean mass ratio.
- No significant differences were recorded when comparing bone mineral density in the legs of equestrian athletes and the control group.
- The study found no significant variances in body composition between the two different riding styles (hunt seat and western style).
Conclusions
- The lower total body fat percentage among equestrian athletes appears to be significantly influenced by differences in leg composition, showing they have comparatively more lean tissue mass and less fat mass.
Cite This Article
APA
Dengel OH, Raymond-Pope CJ, Bosch TA, Oliver JM, Dengel DR.
(2019).
Body Composition and Visceral Adipose Tissue in Female Collegiate Equestrian Athletes.
Int J Sports Med, 40(6), 404-408.
https://doi.org/10.1055/a-0863-4607 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Biology Department, College of Saint Benedict, Saint Joseph, Minnesota, United States.
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.
- College of Education+Human Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.
- Department of Kinesiology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, United States.
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.
MeSH Terms
- Absorptiometry, Photon
- Adolescent
- Animals
- Body Composition
- Body Mass Index
- Bone Density
- Female
- Horses
- Humans
- Intra-Abdominal Fat / anatomy & histology
- Leg / anatomy & histology
- Muscle, Skeletal / anatomy & histology
- Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
- Retrospective Studies
- Spine / anatomy & histology
- Sports / physiology
- Young Adult
Conflict of Interest Statement
Authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Demarie S, Chirico E, Bratta C, Cortis C. Puberal and Adolescent Horse Riders' Fitness during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Effects of Training Restrictions on Health-Related and Functional Motor Abilities. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 May 24;19(11).
- Lukaski H, Raymond-Pope CJ. New Frontiers of Body Composition in Sport. Int J Sports Med 2021 Jun;42(7):588-601.
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