Age-related patterns of anthropometric characteristics in young wrestlers.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to compare the age-related patterns of anthropometric characteristics in young wrestlers (8-13 yr) to those of a national representative sample of boys the same age.


METHODS
Two hundred and fifty-three young wrestlers (X age +/- SD, 11.1 +/- 1.6 yr; height (HT), 145.5 +/- 11.4 cm; body weight (BW), 40.7 +/- 10.9 kg) volunteered as subjects in the present study. The sample of young wrestlers was divided into six independent age groups: age group 8 (AG8), 8.00-8.99 yr (n = 27); AG9, 9.00-9.99 yr (n = 43); AG10, 10.00-10.99 yr (n = 50); AG11, 11.00-11.99 yr (n = 45); AG12, 12.00-12.99 yr (n = 56); and AG13, 13.00-13.99 yr (n = 32). Nine variables including BW, HT, body mass index (BMI), subscapular and triceps skinfolds, waist, midarm, maximal calf, and midthigh circumferences were assessed on each subject.


RESULTS
The results showed that there was only one (midthigh circumference) difference between the young wrestlers and the national sample for yearly changes in the anthropometric dimensions.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicated that participation in age group wrestling was not associated with age-related patterns of anthropometric characteristics that were different from those of a national representative sample of boys the same age.
Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Human Performance Laboratory, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0806, USA. clcamic@unlserve.unl.edu
Clayton L
CL
Camic
Terry J
TJ
Housh
Michelle
M
Mielke
C Russell
CR
Hendrix
Jorge
J
M Zuniga
Glen O
GO
Johnson
Dona J
DJ
Housh
Richard J
RJ
Schmidt
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014952:Wrestling