Purpose: the main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of body mass (BM) status with running and jumping performances in young male basketball players.
Methods: basketball players (n=72, age 12.9±2.8 yrs), who were grouped into U-12 (9-12 yrs), U-15 (12-15 yrs) and U-18 (15-18 yrs), performed a battery of anthropometric, running and jumping tests. We examined differences among age groups, and between normal weight and overweight players.
Results: the results indicated significant and large differences among age groups in BM, height, body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass, speed, endurance, standing long jump, countermovement jump (CMJ), mean power in 30 s jumping test (Pmean) (p<0.001, η(2)≥0.23) with older players presenting higher values. Within each age group, overweight players had higher BM, BMI, body fat percentage and FM (p<0.05) than their normal weight counterparts. Overweight players had worst performance in running (sprint and endurance) and jumping (CMJ and Pmean) in U-12, and worst endurance in U-18 (p<0.05, |d|≥0.82) than normal-weight players, whereas there was no difference in U-15.
Conclusions: it was concluded that the relationship of BMI with running and jumping performances varied according to age. Based on these findings, trainers and coaches should focus on special intervention exercise and nutrition programs targeting optimal body mass especially in young basketball players, where the excess of body mass seemed to have the most detrimental effect on running and jumping performances.
Keywords: adiposity; age; overweight; performances; physical exercise; team sport.