Analyzing body composition differences between athletes involved in endurance, strength, and team sports in Manipur: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Background: Body composition plays a crucial role in athletic performance and varies significantly across different sports disciplines. The specific physiological demands of each sport type lead to distinct adaptations in athletes’ body composition over time. While some research studies have explored body composition in athletes around the world, there is limited research focusing on athletes from India and even fewer, if any, from Manipur, a state in northeastern India known for producing world-class athletes across various disciplines. Understanding these sport-specific differences in body composition is essential for optimizing training regimens, nutritional strategies, and overall performance. Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze and compare body composition profiles among endurance, power, and team sport athletes in Manipur, India. Materials and Methods: The study included 152 elite professional athletes (94 males, 58 females) aged 18–35 years, categorized into endurance ( n = 32), power ( n = 47), and team sports ( n = 73) groups. Body composition parameters like body fat percentage (BFP), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and total body water (TBW) were measured and compared across groups and between genders. Results: Significant differences were observed in body composition across sport categories. Power athletes exhibited the highest mean values for BFP (14.97%), FM (15.44 kg), FFM (59.14 kg), SMM (39.65 kg), and TBW (46.30 kg). Endurance athletes showed the lowest mean values for these parameters. Team sport athletes generally fell between the other two groups. Gender comparisons revealed that males had significantly lower BFP but higher FFM, SMM, and TBW compared to females. Conclusion: This study highlights significant sport-specific differences in body composition among athletes in Manipur. The findings underscore the importance of tailored training and nutritional strategies based on sport type and reinforce the need for regular monitoring of athletes’ body composition to optimize performance.