Citation

Yamamoto JB, Yamamoto BE, Yamamoto PP, Yamamoto LG. Res. Sports Med. 2008; 16(2): 111-127.

Affiliation

Department of Pediatrics, University of Hawaii John A Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, Hawaii 96826, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15438620802103320

PMID

18569945

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the epidemiology and trends of body size in college athletics. Data were coded from available athlete rosters from four division 1 college athletic programs for football, basketball, baseball, and men's/women's tennis for the period of 1950 to the present. Data on 17,500 American football, 2,470 basketball, 3,868 baseball, 903 men's tennis, and 765 women's tennis athletes were entered. Increases in height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were seen for all sports at most positions, but the greatest increases were observed in American football offensive and defensive linemen. The largest increases in weight and (BMI) were observed amongst football offensive and defensive linemen, placing them at greatest risk for size-related medical complications. Other college sports exhibit increases in height, weight, and BMI as well, but the rates of increase were not as great.

Language: en