title: Six-year body composition change in male elite senior rugby league players.
abstract: This study investigated the change in body composition and bone mineral content (BMC) of senior rugby league (RL) players between 2008 and 2014. Twelve male professional RL players (age, 24.6 ± 4.0 years; stature, 183.4 ± 8.4 cm) received a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan during preseason in 2008 and 2014. Between 2008 and 2014, very likely increases in leg lean mass (LM), total trunk and leg BMC, and a likely increase in arm BMC and possible increases in body mass (BM), total and trunk fat mass (FM), and total, trunk and arm LM were observed. Unlikely decreases and unclear changes in leg and arm FM were also found. Large negative correlations were observed between age and BM (r = -0.72), LM (r = -0.70), FM (r = -0.61) and BMC (r = -0.84) change. Three participants (19.1 ± 1.6 years) increased LM by 7.0-9.3 kg. Younger players had the largest increases in LM during this period, although an older player (30-year old) still increased LM. Differences in body composition change were also observed for participants of the same age, thus contextual factors should be considered. This study demonstrates the individuality of body composition changes in senior professional rugby players, while considering the potential change in young athletes.
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK.|b Yorkshire Carnegie Rugby Union Club , Headingley Stadium , Leeds , UK.|c Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club , Headingley Stadium , Leeds , UK.|d The Rugby Football League , Leeds , UK.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK.|b Yorkshire Carnegie Rugby Union Club , Headingley Stadium , Leeds , UK.|c Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club , Headingley Stadium , Leeds , UK.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Till
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK.|b Yorkshire Carnegie Rugby Union Club , Headingley Stadium , Leeds , UK.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roe
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1589-7984
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1422-0154
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lees
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barlow
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure , Leeds Beckett University , Leeds , UK.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4546-5536
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hind
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001132:Arm / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D060726:Torso / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body composition; bones; musculoskeletal; talent