ANTHROPOMETRIC AND BODY COMPOSITION CHARACTERISTICS OF SHINDESHI SUMO WRESTLERS

Transcription

1 ANTHROPOMETRIC AND BODY COMPOSITION CHARACTERISTICS OF SHINDESHI SUMO WRESTLERS KIYOJI TANAKA, HIROSHI KATO, KAZUO KIKUCHI, MUTSUMI NAGATOMO, HIDEAKI NAKAJIMA, HIDETARO SHIBAYAMA, HIROSHI EBASHI, YOKO NISHIJIMA, MACHIKO MATSUZAWA AND SHINKICHI OGAWA A number of investigators have been concerned with the anthropometric as well as physical characteristics of sumo wrestlers during the past several decades. However, none have attempted to determine body density and percent body fat by the most accurate technique of hydrostatic or underwater weighings. Thus, a precise quantification of body density and percent body fat for the wrestlers has not yet been obtained. Ogawa et al. (1972) have predicted the body composition of sumo wrestlers from a formula which added the triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses. As the regression equation used in this instance was based on samples of normal young men, it may not have great predictive accuracy when used on the exceptional population of very stout athletes. The purposes of this study were : (1) to assess the validity of percent body fat estimation by skinfold thickness measurement when compared to the hydrostatic weighing criterion method ; (2) to determine the interrelationships between anthropometric variables for use in the clear assessment of the physical characteristics of eshindeshi' sumo wrestlers ; and (3) to thereby develop a formula that would reliably predict percent body fat using skinfold thicknesses and/or anthropometric measurements in this exceptional population. The interrelationships between anthropometric and body composition variables were investigated using 35 Shindeshi sumo wrestlers, aged years (X=16.5 }1.5). The results of the present study can be summarized as follows. 1. The Shindeshi in the present study possessed physiques more developed than those tested in the past, as evidenced by Rohrer's and Ponderal Indices which were approximately 180 and 26.2, respectively. The development of body weight was particularly notable (i.e., over 100kg). 2. Percent body fat for the Shindeshi was remarkably higher than that of a normal population of the same age, with approximately seventy percent of the Shindeshi possessing more than 20% body fat and less than body density. 3. Body density and height correlated negatively and insignificantly with almost all the variables. In contrast, correlations of body weight, circumferences, and all other variables were, in most cases, high and positive, with body weight correlating least with

2 height. The skinfold measurement correlating best with % body fat was that taken at the thigh site (r=0.898). The circumference measurements correlating best with % body fat were obtained at the thigh (r=0.888 and 0.831) and the abdomen (r=0 885) parts. 4. Of the six formulae for estimating % body fat, Sloan's correlated best with % body fat as determined by densitometry, and best approximated the mean value of 24.5%. However, all of the equations underestimated the measured % body fat of the Shindeshi. 5. When an exceptional population is being investigated, estimation of % body fat should be done with a population specific equation to ensure predictive accuracy. The following multiple regression equation (r=0.963) should, therefore, be utilized for estimation of % body fat in sumo wrestlers. Y=0.2488x x where x1 and x2 are abdomen circumference and skinfold thickness at thigh, respectively. (J. Physical Fitness Japan 1979, 28 : )

3 Table 1, Anthropometric and Body Composition Characteristics of Shindeshi Sumo Wrestlers (N=35) *1 ; horizontal distance between the midsternal and midspinal lines at the level of the lower end of sternum *2 ; sites selected for skinfold thickness measurement

4 Table 3. Regression equations estimating % body fat from a single variable Table 4. Validity coefficients and mean differences between the estimated % body fat and the measured % body fat

5 Table 5. Mean and standard deviation of differences between the measured and esiimated % body fat, standard error of estimate, and coefficient of determination *y=02488x x

6 Figure 1. Relationship between age and % body fat : This regression equation was made in order to get a rough idea of changes in % body fat in accordance with aging. Though the number of subjects and methods for determining % body fat were not quite similar to one another, it is believed that these data might be representatives of various age population. The types of subjects included were the high school students, college students, sedentary men, marines and so forth. From the review of 13 literatures : i. e., Brozek et al, 1968 ; Durnin & Rahaman, 1967 ; Katch & McArdle, 1973 ; Katch et al, 1974 ; Novak, 1963 ; Novak, 1968 ; Novak et al, 1968 ; Pollock, 1971 ; Wilmore & Behnke, 1968 ; Wilmore, 1969 ; Wilmore et al, 1970 ; Wilmore & Wright, 1974 ; and Zuti & Golding, Note that each plot for the regression equation is the respective mean value obtained in the above investigations.

7 1) Brozek, J., Grande, F., Anderson, J.T. and Keys, A (1963) : Densitometric analysis of body composition : review of some quantitative assumptions Ann. N.Y. Acad., 110,

8 3) Hirata, K. (1968) : The Evaluating Method of Physique and Physical Fitness and Its Practical Application. Hirata Institute of Health, Taiyo Co. Ltd., Gifu, Japan. 4) Hirata, K. (1973) : Ponderal index. Jap. J. Phys. Educ., 17, ) Katch, F. and Michael, E.D. (1971) : Body composition of high school wrestlers according to age and wrestling weight category. Med. Sci. Sports, 3, ) Michael, E.D. and Katch, FT. (1968) : Prediction of body density from skinfold and girth measurement of 17-year-old boys. J. Appl. Physiol., 25, ) Moritani, T. and Tanaka, K. (1974) : Body composition changes in male sedentary and athlete population with training. Unpublished Paper. 10) Nagamine, S. and Suzuki, S. (1964) : Anthropometry and body composition of Japanese young men and women. Human Biol., 36, ) Nagamine, S. (1975) : Evaluation of body fathess by skinfold measurements. JIBP Synthesis, Physiological Adaptability and Nutritional Status of Japanese, 4, ) Novak, L.P. (1968) : Physical activity and body composition of adolescent boys. J.A.M. A., 197, ) Novak, L.P., Hyatt, R.E, and Alexander, J.F. (1968) : Body composition and physiologic function of athletes. J.A.M.A. 205, ) Rich, G. Q. III. (1972) : An effective and efficient laboratory method of measuring body density. Presented at Southwest District American Association of Health, PE and Recreation, Las Vegas. 21) Sloan, A. W. (1967) : Estimation of body fat in young men. J. Appl. Physiol., 23, ) Tanaka, K. (1976) : Consideration of various methods for estimating percentage of body fat. Unpublished Paper, 23) Wilmore, J. H. (1974) The formula for estimating relative body fat. Unpublished Data : cited from Exercise Physiology Laboratory at California State University, Northridge. 24) Wilmore, J. H. (1969) : The use of actual, predicted and constant residual volumes in the assessment of body composition by underwater weighing. Med. Sci. Sports, 1,