Differences in body composition between 12 years old athlets and non-athlets both genders

Abstract

This research as part of other extensive research, was implemented on a population of 62 male and 77 female pupils, 11 years old, sixth grade in two elementary schools from Skopje: “11 Oktomvri”(downtown) and “Aco Shopov”(in Radishani, as a suburb). Pupils were asked if they attend any sport regularly. The purpose was to determine the differences in body composition, if any, between athletes and non-athletes. 24 of the male and 35 of the female pupils approach to regular training 3 times a week, and 38 male and 42 female pupils aren’t attending any organized physical activity. 12 variables through which body composition can be determined, were measured: body mass (BM), height (BH), body mass index (BMI), percentile distribution of body mass (PBM), height (PBH) and body mass index (PBMI), percent of fat tissue (%FT), percent of muscle tissue (%MT), abdominal (abdsf), dorsal (dorssf) and upper arm (uparmsf) skin folds and basal metabolism (basmet). From the obtained results it can be concluded that although the male athletes group has better results in smaller body mass, smaller percent of skin folds and higher basal metabolism, statistical significant changes existed only in one variable (percent of muscle tissue - %MT). The results in female group, are almost the same, except there aren’t any statistically significant differences in any of the variables. The explanation for such a situation may be, that athletes group have training three times a week, which might be enough for better results in some variables, but not enough (since they have training only three times a week) for statistically significant differences in all variables, which might appear if the first group attend any sport at least five times a week. Besides, we don’t have information how long before the research pupils were training, nor if there were continuity.