Carrying the Weight: Athletics and Obesity in High School Football Players

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (13) ◽  
pp. 1409-1414
Author(s):  
Joshua N. Berkowitz ◽  
Asheley Cockrell Skinner ◽  
Jacob A. Lohr
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Team Sports ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
High School Athletes ◽  
High School Football ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity

This article determines the prevalence of obesity among high school football players nationwide and compares obesity between position groups of football players and across team sports. We calculate body mass index (BMI) for 391 212 males participating in baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, and soccer, then stratify BMI into commonly accepted categories and subdivide football players by position played, comparing BMI across position groups and sports. A total of 47.4% of high school football players are healthy weight (BMI = 18.5-24.9 kg/m2), 18.0% have obesity (BMI = 30-34.9 kg/m2: 12.4%) or class 2 obesity (BMI >34.9 kg/m2: 5.6%). Among linemen, 14.8% are healthy weight, 14.6% have class 2 obesity, and another 29.3% have obesity. Among non-linemen, the combined prevalence of obesity and class 2 obesity is 2.7%, comparable to other team sports. Obesity is common among high school football players, more so than among other high school athletes. Obesity and class 2 obesity are only common among linemen.

Changes in Body Size of Elite High School Football Players: 1963–1989

1993 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Qi Wang ◽  
Mike A. Perko ◽  
Gregory S. Downey ◽  
Charles E. Yesalis
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Anabolic Steroids ◽  
The Body ◽  
American Football ◽  
Football Players ◽  
High School Football ◽  
Training Techniques ◽  
Performance Enhancing Drugs

An examination of the heights and weights of members of the Parade Magazine's High School All-American Football Teams from 1963–1971 indicates no significant changes in the Body Mass Index of these elite athletes whereas an increased pattern in Body Mass Index was noted within this group from 1972–1989. The large increases in Body Mass Index after 1971 among the All-American high school football players raise interesting research questions; in particular, what portion of these gains can be attributed to improved nutrition and training techniques and what portion is the result of use of performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids?

Injury Patterns by Body Mass Index in US High School Athletes

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Yard ◽  
Dawn Comstock
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Knee Injuries ◽  
Sports Injury ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
High School Athletes ◽  
Injury Patterns ◽  
Nationally Representative

Background:There are over 7 million US high school athletes and one-third are overweight or obese. Our objective was to examine injury patterns by body mass index (BMI) in high school athletes.Methods:Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) at 100 nationally representative US high schools submitted exposure and injury information during the 2005 to 08 school years via High School RIO (Reporting Information Online). We retrospectively categorized injured athletes as underweight (≤15th percentile), normal weight (15th−85th percentile), overweight (85th−95th percentile), or obese (≥95th percentile).Results:ATCs reported 13,881 injuries during 5,627,921 athlete-exposures (2.47 injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures). Nearly two-thirds (61.4%) of injured high school athletes were normal weight. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was highest among injured football athletes (54.4%). Compared with normal weight athletes, obese athletes sustained a larger proportion of knee injuries (Injury Proportion Ratio [IPR] = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.42) and their injuries were more likely to have resulted from contact with another person (IPR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.26 to 1.37). Compared with normal weight athletes, underweight athletes sustained a larger proportion of fractures (IPR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.92) and a larger proportion of injuries resulting from illegal activity (IPR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.03 to 2.46).Conclusions:Injury patterns differ by BMI. BMI-targeted preventive interventions should be developed to help decrease sports injury rates.

We Love You, We Hate You: Fan Twitter Response to Top College Football Recruits’ Decisions

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Jason Stamm ◽  
Brandon Boatwright
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Division I ◽  
Parasocial Interaction ◽  
Football Players ◽  
High School Athletes ◽  
High School Football ◽  
Theoretical Underpinning ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Practical Implications

Using a theoretical underpinning of parasocial interaction—BIRGing (basking in reflected glory) and CORFing (cutting off reflected failure)—this study explored fan reactions to high school athletes’ commitments to play football for National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I programs. A thematic analysis of tweets made by fans during the 2020 recruiting period was examined in two stages: (a) tweets directed toward recruits before they committed to a program and (b) tweets directed toward recruits after they committed. Findings show fan frivolity in regard to identification, as well as a desire to become part of the recruiting process of high school football players. In addition, results yield the possibility of a shift in athlete motivations for social media use, fan association with athletics programs, and how fans cope with unexpected loss. Theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.

scholarly journals Increased Body Mass Index during Therapy for Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Significant and Underestimated Complication

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen C. Atkinson ◽  
Julie A. Marsh ◽  
Shoshana R. Rath ◽  
Rishi S. Kotecha ◽  
Hazel Gough ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Age At Diagnosis ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Weight Category ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity ◽  
Standard Risk

Objective & Design. We undertook a retrospective review of children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and treated with modern COG protocols(n=80)to determine longitudinal changes in body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of obesity compared with a healthy reference population.Results. At diagnosis, the majority of patients (77.5%) were in the healthy weight category. During treatment, increases in BMIz-scores were greater for females than males; the prevalence of obesity increased from 10.3% to 44.8%(P<0.004)for females but remained relatively unchanged for males (9.8% to 13.7%,P=0.7). Longitudinal analysis using linear mixed-effects identified associations between BMIz-scores and time-dependent interactions with sex(P=0.0005), disease risk(P<0.0001), age(P=0.0001), and BMIz-score(P<0.0001)at diagnosis and total dose of steroid during maintenance(P=0.01). Predicted mean BMIz-scores at the end of therapy were greater for females with standard risk ALL irrespective of age at diagnosis and for males younger than 4 years of age at diagnosis with standard risk ALL.Conclusion. Females treated on standard risk protocols and younger males may be at greatest risk of becoming obese during treatment for ALL. These subgroups may benefit from intervention strategies to manage BMI during treatment for ALL.

Diagnosis and Management of Mild TBI via Eye Tracking

Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 98 (1 Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. S14.2-S14
Author(s):  
Jeannie Lee ◽  
Brandon Wei ◽  
Summre Blakely ◽  
Benedicto C. Baronia
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Tracking Performance ◽  
Football Players ◽  
High School Athletes ◽  
High School Football ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Permanent Brain Damage

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to expose the prevalence of mild traumatic brain injuries among high school football players and to explore the possibility of implementing eye tracking performance as an objective way to assess cases of potential concussion.BackgroundConcussions are one of the most common forms of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Unfortunately, current research suggests that mild TBIs cannot always be accurately diagnosed via routine neurologic examination. Also, most evaluations, such as ImPACT, are survey-style assessments that are time intensive and subjective. Lack of an objective method to rapidly assess concussions on the field raises concern for second-impact syndrome (SIS), which can lead to permanent brain damage or even fatality.Design/MethodsThis multi-part study included a population of 849 high school athletes in from Lubbock, TX. Student athletes filled out a baseline concussion survey, then assessed their eye tracking performance with the EyeGuide Focus, a 10-second test that involves visually tracking a continuous, figure-8 shape. A vector-based system was used to measure the eye-tracking deviation.ResultsForty-two athletes were recorded with a baseline eye-tracking score, and a subsequent eye-tracking score that was labelled as a suspected concussion by a physician. Of those 42, 17 had a follow-up eye-tracking test 2 weeks later. Test scores labelled with suspected concussion had a significantly higher mean raw score than the baseline score. Higher scores indicate greater vector deviation from accurately tracing the figure-8 with the eyes.ConclusionsThe survey results show underdiagnosing of concussions at lower levels of youth sports, which may indicate a lack of resources. As the data shows marked changes between the concussed, baseline, and follow-up scores, eye-tracking promises to be a quick and efficient tool to assess sports-related concussions.

Stature, Body Mass, and Body Mass Index in High School American Football Players

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (11) ◽  
pp. 3119-3126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alegra I. Mendez ◽  
Amelia A. Miramonti ◽  
Zachary M. Gillen ◽  
Brianna D. McKay ◽  
Todd J. Leutzinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
American Football ◽  
Football Players

Abstract 16076: Elevated Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure Among Male High-School American Style Football Athletes

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashant Rao ◽  
Drew Johnson ◽  
Abhinav Nair ◽  
Max Weiss ◽  
David Shipon
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Class Ii ◽  
Class I ◽  
High School Athletes ◽  
American Style ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: The impact of American Style Football (ASF) participation on cardiovascular health is unclear. Early-life weight gain among ASF athletes is common and is associated with risk of multiple later-life health afflictions. Despite the popularity of ASF participation among the youth, a rigorous comparison of the cardiovascular health profiles between ASF and non-ASF athletes at the high-school level has not been undertaken. We performed an observational cross-sectional study comparing the body mass index and blood pressures of ASF and non-ASF high-school athletes. Methods: Between October 2012 to November 2018 we performed voluntary cardiac screens including height, weight and blood pressure among predominantly high-school students. Inclusion criteria included the following: male sex; >10 hours of exercise per week; single-sport athlete; age >14 years old. Of the 6973 young individuals who underwent screening, 508 athletes were included in the analyzed data. Results: ASF athletes represented 18% of all high-school athletes. The mean age of ASF and non-ASF athletes was 18.5 and 18.0 years, respectively. BMI was higher in ASF athletes compared to non-ASF participating athletes (26.9 vs 21.2 p<0.0001). There was a higher prevalence of class I and class II obesity among ASF athletes (class I obesity: 15% vs 1%; class II obesity: 10% vs 1%, p<0.0001 for each). ASF athletes had an increased systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) compared to non-ASF participating athletes (SBP: 121 vs 114 p<0.0001; DBP: 73 vs 70 p=0.0028). Among all athletes, there was a positive correlation between blood pressure and BMI (SBP: R=0.4149, DBP: R=0.2076, p<0.0001 for each). Conclusions: High-school athletes that participate in ASF have a higher BMI, prevalence of obesity and blood pressure compared to their non-ASF counterparts. It is important to screen young ASF athletes for obesity and hypertension in order to optimize cardiovascular health at an early age.

scholarly journals Effect of Children’s Weight Status on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior during Physical Education, Recess, and After School

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 2651
Author(s):  
Zachary C. Pope ◽  
Charles Huang ◽  
David Stodden ◽  
Daniel J. McDonough ◽  
Zan Gao
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Elementary School ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
After School ◽  
Healthy Weight

Children’s body mass index may affect physical activity (PA) participation. Therefore, this study examined the effect of children’s weight status on underserved elementary school children’s PA and sedentary behavior (SB) throughout the segmented day. Participants were 138 children (X¯age = 8.14 years). Children’s height and weight were measured with subsequent classification of children as healthy weight or overweight/obese. Durations of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), light PA (LPA), and SB during physical education (PE), morning recess, lunch recess, after school, and overall were assessed via accelerometry over three days. Independent t-tests evaluated differences in children’s MVPA, LPA, and SB during each daily segment by weight status. Significantly higher MVPA was observed for children of healthy weight status versus children with overweight/obesity during morning recess, t(136) = 2.15, p = 0.03, after school, t(136) = 2.68, p < 0.01, and overall, t(136) = 2.65, p < 0.01. Interestingly, comparisons of children of healthy weight status and children with overweight/obesity’s LPA and SB during the after-school segment revealed a trend wherein children with overweight/obesity participated in slightly greater LPA/less SB than children of healthy weight status. Higher MVPA was observed among children of healthy weight versus children with overweight/obesity during most daily segments. Concerted efforts should focus on increasing MVPA among children with overweight/obesity.

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