Biomaterial Database

Body composition in ballet dancers measured by total body electrical conductivity. 1991

A C Hergenroeder, and M L Fiorotto, and W J Klish

Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.

The purpose of this study was to describe the body composition of adolescent and young adult ballet dancers using total body electrical conductivity (TOBEC). We studied 112 female and 33 male dancers. The mean ages were 15.0 +/- 2.0 and 18.7 +/- 3.1 yr for females and males, respectively. The mean percent body fat (PBF) values were 20.1 +/- 3.6% for the females and 14.5 +/- 4.2% for the males. Age and pubertal development were not significantly related to PBF in the females. Age and pubertal status were significantly inversely related to PBF in the males. There was no difference in dance history, percent body fat, and abdominal/hip or waist/hip ratios in eumenorrheic vs amenorrheic dancers. Estimated calorie intake indicated that dancers with menstrual abnormalities had lower calorie intake than those with normal menses. This is the largest group of ballet dancers whose body composition has been studied. Our PBF measurements are higher than in previous reports using hydrodensitometry, which may have underestimated body fat by not accounting for the increased bone density in the lower extremities of dancers. Our data suggest that previous measurements of PBF in dancers are underestimates; these new data challenge our concept of PBF values in dancers.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011627	Puberty	A period in the human life in which the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal system takes place and reaches full maturity. The onset of synchronized endocrine events in puberty lead to the capacity for reproduction (FERTILITY), development of secondary SEX CHARACTERISTICS, and other changes seen in ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT.	Puberties
D001834	Body Water	Fluids composed mainly of water found within the body.	Water, Body
D002149	Energy Intake	Total number of calories taken in daily whether ingested or by parenteral routes.	Caloric Intake,Calorie Intake,Intake, Calorie,Intake, Energy
D003615	Dancing	Rhythmic and patterned body movements which are usually performed to music.	Ballet,Dance,Hip-Hop Dance,Jazz Dance,Line Dancing,Modern Dance,Salsa Dancing,Square Dance,Tap Dance,Dance, Hip-Hop,Dance, Jazz,Dance, Modern,Dance, Square,Dance, Tap,Dancing, Line,Dancing, Salsa,Hip Hop Dance
D004553	Electric Conductivity	The ability of a substrate to allow the passage of ELECTRONS.	Electrical Conductivity,Conductivity, Electric,Conductivity, Electrical
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000273	Adipose Tissue	Specialized connective tissue composed of fat cells (ADIPOCYTES). It is the site of stored FATS, usually in the form of TRIGLYCERIDES. In mammals, there are two types of adipose tissue, the WHITE FAT and the BROWN FAT. Their relative distributions vary in different species with most adipose tissue being white.	Fatty Tissue,Body Fat,Fat Pad,Fat Pads,Pad, Fat,Pads, Fat,Tissue, Adipose,Tissue, Fatty
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths