Seasonal Changes in Body Composition in Elite Male Handball Players

Having knowledge of an athlete's body composition values enables individuals to assess their physical condition and perfor-mance. The aim of this study is to examine the changes in body composition of elite male hand-ball players during preparation and competition periods (42 weeks). Twenty-three elite male handball players volunteered for this study. The Tanita brand body analysis device was used to evaluate body composition. Eight measurements were taken during the season and seven measurements were evaluated, which were weight (W), body fat percentage (BF%), fat mass (FM), muscle mass (MM), total body water (TBW), body mass index (BMI), and basal metabolic rate (BMR). Wing players had lower body fat percentage and body fat mass than all other playing positions. Regardless of position, body fat percentage and body fat mass decreased significantly at T2 during the preparation period for all athletes, but an increase in body fat percentage and fat mass was observed throughout the competition period and this increase continued.The increase in fat mass during the competition period may be due to different training content and higher training intensity during the preparation period, changes in nutrition habits due to camps, long trips, and tournaments, as well as the effects of fatigue and stress. Further studies are needed in these areas.