title: Seasonal changes in body composition of inter-county Gaelic Athletic Association hurlers.
abstract: Longitudinal change in body composition for elite-level inter-county hurlers was reported over a single season and four consecutive seasons. Body composition measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of 66 senior, male, outfield players was obtained. Four successive measurements were taken: off-season (OFF1), pre-season (PRE), mid-season (MID) and the off-season of the following season (OFF2). A subsample of 11 hurlers were measured at all time points over 4 consecutive seasons. DXA-derived estimates of fat and lean mass were normalised to stature for analysis (kg∙m‒2); data are (mean [lower: upper, 95% confidence interval]). A concurrent increase of lean mass (0.31 [0.19: 0.43] kg∙m‒2) and loss of fat mass occurred (-0.38 [-0.50: -0.26] kg∙m‒2) OFF1to PRE. Lean mass accrual was maintained PRE to OFF2while the initial loss of fat mass was restored MID to OFF2(0.52 [0.40: 0.64] kg ∙ m‒2), with the trunk acting as the primary region of change. Over the four seasons, a net increase of lean mass was observed (~ 0.9 [0.4: 1.4] kg per annum) with a negligible overall change for fat mass over time. However, the cycling of fat mass (OFF to PRE and MID to OFF) within each season was recurrent season-to-season.
authors.affiliation: a Human Science Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences , University of Limerick , Limerick , Ireland.
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: b Faculty of Kinesiology , University of Calgary , Calgary , Alberta , Canada.
authors.forename: Clodagh
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toomey
authors.affiliation: a Human Science Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences , University of Limerick , Limerick , Ireland.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.affiliation: c Department of Sport, Leisure, and Childhood Studies , Cork Institute of Technology , Cork , Ireland.
authors.forename: Cian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.affiliation: a Human Science Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences , University of Limerick , Limerick , Ireland.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: a Human Science Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences , University of Limerick , Limerick , Ireland.|d Centre for Intervention in Inflammation, Infection and Immunity , University of Limerick , Limerick , Ireland.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jakeman
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D014142:Track and Field / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: DXA; Gaelic games; Hurling; body composition; seasonal