Prevalence of overweight and obesity in collegiate American football players, by position.
OBJECTIVE
The authors' purpose in this study was to determine overweight and obesity prevalence in a collegiate football team.


METHODS
Eighty-five National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I football players volunteered to participate.


METHODS
The authors measured height, weight, and waist circumference (WC), and estimated body fat percentage (% BF) from bioelectrical impedance.


RESULTS
Body mass index (BMI), WC, and % BF were all positively correlated (p < .01), but BMI overestimated the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 50.6% of the cases. Fourteen players (16%) qualified as obese under all 3 methods. Offensive linemen had significantly higher % BF (p < .01) than most other positions, and on average this group exceeded the at-risk criteria for BMI (> 30 kg/m2), WC (> 102 cm), and % BF (> 25%).


CONCLUSIONS
BMI alone is not a valid indicator of overweight and obesity in a strength-trained athletic population. However, some collegiate football players, especially linemen, meet multiple criteria for obesity.
Mathews
Emily Millard
EM
Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-7000, USA.
Wagner
Dale R
DR
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities