An analysis of indices and ratios in anthropometric body measurements among team sports athletes

Background: Physical indices and proportions based on anthropometry are crucial for determining the performance of players in team sports. The study aims to analyze the anthropometric status, body mass and shape indices, including waist-to-hip and height ratios, among athletes from different team sports. Methods: Study involved 135 male team-sport athletes specializing in basketball, handball, and volleyball, with 45 players in each sport. Researchers collected anthropometric data, including chronological age (CA), height (Ht), weight (Wt), body mass index (BMI), waist circumferences (WC) and hip circumferences (HC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-height ratio (WHtR), and a body shape index (ABSI). To compare variables across groups, descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA with LSD post-hoc tests used. Relationships within each group were examined using correlation analysis. Results: The ANOVA findings indicated f values (2, 132) for CA at 0.57, p=0.57, BMI at 0.59, p=0.56, WC at 2.10, p=0.13, WHR at 1.37, p=0.27, and ABSI at 1.41, p=0.25, respectively, revealing no significant disparities among the groups. Conversely, Ht at 13.36, p=0.00, Wt at 5.74, p=0.00, HC at 6.33, p=0.00, and WHtR at 3.60, p=0.03, respectively, highlighted significant variations between the groups. Furthermore, the correlation of BMI, WC, HC, WHR, WHtR, and ABSI in each group showed a strong positive correlation (p<0.01). Conclusions: Athletes in team sports were found to have similar body mass and shape indices, including ratios for WHR, while the WHtR ratio showed significant variations among the groups. Despite these differences, measures of athletes’ health metrics across these sports remain within safe, normal ranges.