Season-long changes in the body composition profiles of competitive female Rugby Union players assessed via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry

Article

Curtis, C., Arjomandkhah, N., Cooke, C., Ranchordas, M. and Russell, M. 2021. Season-long changes in the body composition profiles of competitive female Rugby Union players assessed via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2021.1886226
TypeArticle
TitleSeason-long changes in the body composition profiles of competitive female Rugby Union players assessed via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry
AuthorsCurtis, C., Arjomandkhah, N., Cooke, C., Ranchordas, M. and Russell, M.
Abstract

Background: Reference data for the body composition values of female athletes are limited to very few sports, with female Rugby Union players having mostly been omitted from such analyses.
Methods: Using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans, this study assessed the body composition profiles (body mass, bone mineral content; BMC, fat mass; FM, lean mass; LM, bone mineral density; BMD) of 15 competitive female Rugby Union players before and after the 2018/19 competitive season. Total competitive match-play minutes were also recorded for each player.
Results: Body mass (73.7±9.6 kg vs 74.9±10.2 kg, p≤0.05, d=0.13) and BMC (3.2±0.4 kg vs 3.3±0.4 kg, p≤0.05, d=0.15) increased pre- to post-season for all players. Conversely, FM (21.0±8.8 kg), LM (50.7±3.9 kg), and BMD (1.31±0.06 g·cm-2) were similar between time-points (all p>0.05). Accounting for position, body mass (rpartial(12) = 0.196), FM (rpartial(12) = -0.013), LM (rpartial(12) = 0.351), BMD (rpartial(12) = 0.168) and BMC (rpartial(12) = -0.204) showed no correlation (all p>0.05) against match-play minutes.
Conclusion: The demands of the competitive season influenced specific body composition indices (i.e., body mass, BMC) in female Rugby Union players; a finding which was unrelated to the number of minutes played in matches. While the causes of such differences remain unclear, practitioners should be cognisant of the body composition changes occurring throughout a female Rugby Union competitive season and, where necessary, consider modifying variables associated with adaptation and recovery accordingly.

Research GroupPhysiology at the London Sport Institute
PublisherTaylor & Francis (Routledge)
JournalResearch Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
ISSN0270-1367
Electronic2168-3824
Publication dates
Online15 Oct 2021
Publication process dates
Deposited15 Feb 2021
Accepted02 Feb 2021
Accepted author manuscript
Copyright Statement

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport on 15 Oct 2021, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/02701367.2021.1886226

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2021.1886226
LanguageEnglish
Permalink -

https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/89422

Log in to edit

Download files

Accepted author manuscript
RQES DXA - Manuscript_Accepted.pdf

  • 140
    total views
  • 46
    total downloads
  • 8
    views this month
  • 1
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Assessing the validity of the LEAF-Q and FAST questionnaires for detecting low energy availability in competitive female netball players
Watson, K., Spiegelhalter, A., Curtis, C., Papadopoulos, K., Hills, F., Turner, A. and Wilson, L. 2025. Assessing the validity of the LEAF-Q and FAST questionnaires for detecting low energy availability in competitive female netball players. 2025 Middlesex University Postgraduate Researchers Summer Conference. Middlesex University London, UK 17 - 18 Jun 2025
Running event, age and competitive level as predictors of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry-derived body composition and bone health markers in female runners
Wilson, L. and Curtis, C. 2024. Running event, age and competitive level as predictors of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry-derived body composition and bone health markers in female runners. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 38 (7), pp. e366-e372. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004773
Topical application of L-Menthol – Physiological and genetic considerations to assist in developing female athlete research: A narrative review
Villegas-Serna, T., Wilson, L. and Curtis, C. 2024. Topical application of L-Menthol – Physiological and genetic considerations to assist in developing female athlete research: A narrative review. Journal of Thermal Biology. 119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103758
Investigating the prevalence of low energy availability, disordered eating and eating disorders in competitive and recreational female endurance runners
Dervish, R., Wilson, L. and Curtis, C. 2022. Investigating the prevalence of low energy availability, disordered eating and eating disorders in competitive and recreational female endurance runners. European Journal of Sport Science. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2022.2079423
Quantifying frequency of use of methods of body mass loss in competing UK powerlifters
Wood, T., Wilson, L. and Curtis, C. 2022. Quantifying frequency of use of methods of body mass loss in competing UK powerlifters. Performance Enhancement & Health. 10 (2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peh.2022.100221
Assessing the prevalence and risk of disordered eating in female netball players
Paice, K., Curtis, C., Papadopoulos, K., Turner, A. and Wilson, L. 2022. Assessing the prevalence and risk of disordered eating in female netball players. BASES conference 2022. Leicester, UK 15 - 16 Nov 2022 Taylor & Francis (Routledge). pp. 32-32 https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2022.2125766
Prevalence of disordered eating, eating disorders and risk of low energy availability in professional, competitive and recreational female athletes based in the United Kingdom
Sharps, F., Wilson, L., Graham, C. and Curtis, C. 2022. Prevalence of disordered eating, eating disorders and risk of low energy availability in professional, competitive and recreational female athletes based in the United Kingdom. European Journal of Sport Science. 22 (9), pp. 1445-1451. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.1943712
Anthropometric profiles and physical characteristics in competitive female English premiership rugby union players
Yao, X., Curtis, C., Turner, A., Bishop, C., Austerberry, A. and Chavda, S. 2021. Anthropometric profiles and physical characteristics in competitive female English premiership rugby union players. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 16 (9), pp. 1234-1241. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2020-0017
Estimates of energy intake and expenditure in elite female touch players during an international tournament.
Marsh, N., Dobbin, N., Twist, C. and Curtis, C. 2017. Estimates of energy intake and expenditure in elite female touch players during an international tournament. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 27 (6), pp. 499-506. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0082
The effect of carbohydrate dose and timing on timed effort and time to exhaustion within a simulated cycle race in male professional cyclists
Girling, W., Pujdak, M., Dimitriou, L., Van Wyk, A., Vidal, M., Peterca, J., Curtis, C. and Paice, K. 2019. The effect of carbohydrate dose and timing on timed effort and time to exhaustion within a simulated cycle race in male professional cyclists. British Association of Sport Exercise Sciences: BASES Conference 2019. Leicester, UK 19 - 20 Nov 2019 Taylor & Francis (Routledge). pp. 25-26