IADMS Madrid 2001   [back to the Category]

Nutritional behavior and body composition ....   [read the french version]

Author :   Concepción Pozo Municio & al.

Nutritional behavior and body composition in a group of Spanish-dance dancers: Anthropometry versus bioelectrical impedance

Concepción Pozo Municio, Francisco Miguel Tobal, Roberto Hernández Corvo, Escuela Profesional de Especialización en Medicina de la Educación Física y el Deporte de Madrid, Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain

Purpose of this study is to examine body composition, daily caloric intake (DCI) and total body water (TBW) in a group of pre-professional Spanish-dance students, as well as to identify the influence of aesthetic factors in nutritional behavior.
Materials and Methods: Transversal, no randomized study carried out in a group of students enrolled in their last year of Spanish-dance career at the Real Escuela Profesional de Danza de Madrid (27 women and 5 men), 15-26 years old (18.9 ± 2.2). Kind of training and nutritional behavior are obtained using a questionnaire and personal interview, body composition by means of anthropometry and bioimpedance. Last one informs about DCI and TBW.
Results: The group does on average 11.12 ± 2.96 years devoted to serious dance training: Spanish styles and classical ballet. At present 24.14 ± 5.4 h/wk. A large diversity of somatotypes exists. Men tend to mesomorphy and endomorphy prevails in 40% of women. Greatest muscle development takes place in lower limbs, being proportionally lesser in men. DCI is less than expected. 16% of subjects have low TBW. 69% of female dancers with normal Body Mass Index (BMI) have subjective problems regarding her weight, chi-squared (p < 0.05) shows statistically significant relationship between BMI and the degree of satisfaction with regard to her body shape. There are statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in % body fat measured by anthropometry and bioimpedance.
Discussion: Bioimpedance turns out to be inaccurate in appraisal of body fat percent, due to variety of somatotypes and thickness of skin folds, and high incidence of dehydration. Male dancers don’t get at highest muscular development with his regular training, they should add muscular strengthening. Female dancers are concerned with height/weight relationship. The pursuit of linearity interferes with nutrition of a women group engaged in high level training during an average of 11 years, taking place in the second decade of their lives (7-24 years).