Body Shape, Image, and Composition as Predictors of Athlete’s Performance

Abstract

Body shape, image, and composition are three different but related concepts used to describe people. Body shape, also known as somatotype, represents the tangible body, which can be externally observed and measured without destroying or hurting it. On the contrary, body image represents the subjective and intangible human nature, a construct that we try to define by applying validated scientific tools-a set of dimensions easily affected by psychological perception. Instead, body composition represents the physical parts grouped into similar compartments. Due to the fact that it cannot be observed or measured with the naked eye, and in order to reduce measurement error, we try to measure them with the highest and most accurate available technology. Shape, image, and composition affect sport's performance. Sports literature mentions, sometimes interchangeably, form, image, and body composition. So when we refer to them we have to distinguish them. Social, political, economic, cultural, educational, and genetic factors influence them. Technological advances in determining the shape and composition are reliable, but not the ones for body image, which needs further development. In this paper, the interrelation of these three aspects is described, with health and sport's ambit indicators.

The level of students’ physical development depending on the ethno-territorial variability of morpho-functional features

“…The results of numerous studies [49,50] show that body composition has a significant relationship with indicators of physical performance, with its adaptation to environmental conditions, as well as with professional and sports activities. In addition, body shape is different both among sports and between categories and positions within a sport; each sport requires morphological peculiarities [49].…”

“…The results of numerous studies [49,50] show that body composition has a significant relationship with indicators of physical performance, with its adaptation to environmental conditions, as well as with professional and sports activities. In addition, body shape is different both among sports and between categories and positions within a sport; each sport requires morphological peculiarities [49]. Lee et al [51] postulated that different levels of performance in muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility effectively predicted abdominal obesity in both genders, whereas cardiorespiratory fitness predicted abdominal obesity only in men.…”

The Body Shape as Body Image Determinant in University Students

“…As explained by Ramos-Jiménez et al (25), the concepts of body image, body shape, and body composition should not be confounded and must be studied together. In addition, since changes in these three factors affect health, we should identify which one of them is more affected in each suffering.…”

“…Determination of somatotype is commonly used in the sports field to characterize athletes, and to lead them to build their best shape through training and diet (27). On the contrary, it is poorly used in the general population, however, it is important to know it in order to keep a healthy physical shape, since regarding physical health those values close to the center and positive in the Y axis of the somatochart are recommended (25). In our study, excluding subjects 17 and 21 of the somatochart, most participants showed an endomorphic-mesomorphic somatotype, with women having slightly high endomorphy and slightly low mesomorphy as compared to men.…”

Modeling of functional preparedness of women 25-35 years of different somatotypes

“…Introduction 1 The level of functional preparedness of the population is influenced by many factors. The greatest influence has the economic condition of the country, climatic features of the region, food quality, environmental factors, social status of the population [1]. As these factors are not stable, the functional capabilities of the population are also changing.…”