The Importance of Measuring Body Composition in Professional Football Players: A Commentary

Abstract

Professional football players are not considered to be excessively fat, but there is continuous pressure made by managers, coaches and physiotherapists to monitor player’s body composition to help reach optimal performance potential. Consequently, it is not uncommon for sport scientists to assume responsibility for monitoring and managing their players’ body composition over the playing season. As body fat is one of the main factors affecting body composition, the knowledge and understanding of whole body density and how it influences the body could be useful to quantify the effectiveness of a prescribed training programme and/ or optimal performance potential. KEY WORDS: Body composition; Body fat; Football; Whole body density; Anthropometry; Optimal performance.