Investigating the Intra and Inter Session Reliability of the BOD POD for Estimating Body Composition in Lancer Varsity Athletes

Body composition assessment is crucial for monitoring the health and fitness of varsity athletes. The BOD POD, utilising air-displacement plethysmography, is considered a gold standard for this purpose. However, the impact of factors such as food and fluid consumption, exercise, and time of day on BOD POD measurements remains largely unexplored. This study aims to investigate intra- and inter-session reliability of the BOD POD in estimating fat-free mass and body fat while controlling and not controlling for standardized pre-testing guidelines. Participants undergo two consecutive measurement dates, with morning measurements adhering to pre-test protocols and afternoon measurements disregarding these guidelines. The hypothesis posits that intra-session measurements will significantly differ due to the impact of eating and drinking on body mass and volume measurements. Conversely, it is expected that inter-session measurements will not significantly differ, as a 24-hour between-day protocol is presumed to prevent substantial physiological changes. This research addresses a critical gap in the literature, contributing valuable insights into the reliability of BOD POD measurements for varsity athletes, informing the optimization of body composition assessment protocols for tailored training and nutritional programs.