Measurement reliability and precision of anthropometric measures for the estimation of whole body density in professional football players

Abstract

Introduction: It is not uncommon to encounter measurement reliability issues, yet when they are required to develop practical calibration models to estimate whole body density the reliability of anthropometric measures is imperative. Materials and Methods: Data was gathered from n=206 male professional footballers ( ±s; age = 24.1±5.4 years, body mass = 78.8±8.4 kg and stretched stature = 180.1±7.0 cm). Reliability of n=28 anthropometric variables (skinfolds, girths, breadths, depths, widths, residual lung volume, air displacement plethysmography and hydrostatic weighing) was investigated by applying Technical Error of Measurement (TEM%) and the Limits of Agreement (LoA) method. Results: TEM% indicated a range of 6.5-1.0% and 3.8-0.6% and the study’s a priori criterion was set at ±3.8% for LoA and were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The contentious measurements of the iliac crest, supraspinale and anterior thigh skinfold, chest and hip girth and biiliocristal breadth indicated z scores values for R2 between 0.006-0.022% and exhibited significant bias (P=< 0.05) and possible heteroscedasticity issues with highest r values of 0.611 and R2 (%) coefficients of 37.3%. Discussion: Test-retest values demonstrated agreement and reliability to be of practical use with this population.