title: Integrated total body composition versus Body Mass Index in young athletes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to assess if the evaluation of Body Mass Index is sufficient to define an overweight index in young athletes, or if a more effective evaluation is preferable in order to examine body fat mass, free-fat mass and hydration status in young athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred ninety-nine young athletes between the ages of 8 to 18 have been analyzed in this study. Data from evaluation in body composition of young athletes were studied and subdivided by age, sex and method used. In order to measure body composition in young people, the participants who attend our Department for sport eligibility examination, were evaluated through anthropometric measurements as far as, fat mass, fat-free mass and hydration status are concerned.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The statistical differences showed with Body Mass Index and body fat assessment reflect that more accurate evaluation is preferable: the normal-weight with Body Mass Index are 78.0%, overweight 18.7% and obese 3.3% respect to a 75.0%, 14.0% and 11.0% detected with a body fat evaluation (P<0.000); statistical differences have been found also subdividing the group per sex, higher in males (P=0.046) than to females (P<0.000). Bio-impedance data shown a statistical differences in young obese athletes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained show clearly that the analysis of the Body Mass Index is not sufficient in young athletes. Therefore, for young athletes a full assessment of body composition would be appropriate to reduce classific-tion errors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petri
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy - gabriele.mascherini@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mascherini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bini
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Anania
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention, Food Security, Environmental and Public Health, Tuscan Region, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Piergiuseppe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calà
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Loira
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toncelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galanti
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D056352:Athletes; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors