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<p>Body composition assessments in professional male football often lack sport-specific evidence, risking mismanagement of player health and performance. This study described dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived values by playing position, ethnicity, competition level, and seasonal timepoints. A total of 343 players (mean ± SD: age = 22.6 ± 4.6 years; stature = 182.0 ± 6.9&#xa0;cm; body mass = 79.1 ± 8.6&#xa0;kg) from the English Premier League (<i>n</i> = 76) and English Football League (<i>n</i> = 267) completed 939 scans over a 10-year period (2014–2024) using DXA (Lunar iDXA, GE Healthcare), with repeat measurements taken across the season. Players were sub-classified as Goalkeepers (<i>n</i> = 32), Central Defenders (<i>n</i> = 55), Wide Defenders (<i>n</i> = 64), Central Midfielders (<i>n</i> = 73), Wide Midfielders (<i>n</i> = 62), and Forwards (<i>n</i> = 57). Body composition ranges specific to position were identified for bone mass (3.5–4.2&#xa0;kg), fat-free soft tissue mass (61.2–69.6&#xa0;kg), fat mass (9.1–13.5&#xa0;kg), and percentage body fat (11.6–15.4%). Significant differences in bone, fat-free soft tissue, and fat mass were observed between playing positions, ethnicity, and league level (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.050). Across a single season, fat-free soft tissue mass increased significantly, while fat mass decreased (both: <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), indicating positive physiological adaptations from moderate body mass increases rather than performance concerns. These findings indicate that body fat values above the commonly cited &lt; 10% threshold are regularly observed in elite male footballers, suggesting the need for more individualised targets over generic team-wide standards. Providing the largest criterion-measured dataset for professional male footballers, this study supports athlete-centred, position-specific decision-making to optimise player health and performance. </p>

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Body composition characteristics of senior male players in the English Premier and Football Leagues: insights from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月2日

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  • Nessan Costello,
  • Cameron Owen,
  • Andrew Jenkinson,
  • Ben Samuels,
  • Matthew Barlow,
  • Karen Hind,
  • Peter Francis,
  • Marina Alexander,
  • Stacey Emmonds,
  • Paul Bower,
  • Albert Arrieta-Aspilcueta,
  • Mark I Johnson,
  • Gareth Jones,
  • James P Morton,
  • Ian Entwistle,
  • Ashley Jones

摘要

Body composition assessments in professional male football often lack sport-specific evidence, risking mismanagement of player health and performance. This study described dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived values by playing position, ethnicity, competition level, and seasonal timepoints. A total of 343 players (mean ± SD: age = 22.6 ± 4.6 years; stature = 182.0 ± 6.9 cm; body mass = 79.1 ± 8.6 kg) from the English Premier League (n = 76) and English Football League (n = 267) completed 939 scans over a 10-year period (2014–2024) using DXA (Lunar iDXA, GE Healthcare), with repeat measurements taken across the season. Players were sub-classified as Goalkeepers (n = 32), Central Defenders (n = 55), Wide Defenders (n = 64), Central Midfielders (n = 73), Wide Midfielders (n = 62), and Forwards (n = 57). Body composition ranges specific to position were identified for bone mass (3.5–4.2 kg), fat-free soft tissue mass (61.2–69.6 kg), fat mass (9.1–13.5 kg), and percentage body fat (11.6–15.4%). Significant differences in bone, fat-free soft tissue, and fat mass were observed between playing positions, ethnicity, and league level (p < 0.050). Across a single season, fat-free soft tissue mass increased significantly, while fat mass decreased (both: p < 0.001), indicating positive physiological adaptations from moderate body mass increases rather than performance concerns. These findings indicate that body fat values above the commonly cited < 10% threshold are regularly observed in elite male footballers, suggesting the need for more individualised targets over generic team-wide standards. Providing the largest criterion-measured dataset for professional male footballers, this study supports athlete-centred, position-specific decision-making to optimise player health and performance.