Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors in Division III Football Players: Year Two

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors (RF) in first year DIII football (FB) players. Methods for predicting MetS were also investigated. Methods: The sample included 58 (18.3 ± 0.5 years) first-year players at the start of the seasons in fall 2016 and 2017. Testing included: Body Mass Index (BMI), percent body fat (%BF), subcutaneous (SCAT) and visceral fat (VAT) using ultrasound, fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), blood pressure (BP), and waist circumference measurements at the umbilicus and suprailiac. Data were evaluated in terms of position (skilled vs. unskilled) using ANOVA, and relationships were examined using a Pearson correlation. Results: Of the 58 participants, 8.6% were classified as obese (n = 5), 50% had at least 1 RF or more (n = 29), and 8.5% (n = 5) met the criteria for MetS. The RFs with the highest frequency were low HDL (25.9%, n =15) and high BP (24.9%, n =14). There were significant differences between skilled (n = 47) and unskilled (n = 11) players for weight, BMI, and waist circumference (F2,56 = 7.41, F2,56 = 11.89, F2,56 = 14.74, p \u3c 0.05), with unskilled players higher in all categories. A higher percentage of unskilled players had RFs (73%, n = 8) compared to the skilled players (45%, n = 26). Three of the unskilled players (27.3%) met the criteria for MetS, compared to two skilled players (4.3%). The suprailiac waist circumference continued to show positive correlations (p \u3c 0.05) with BMI (r = 0.89), VAT (r = 0.744), %BF (r = 0.69), SCAT (r = 0.410), BP (r = 0.49) and TG (r = 0.33), and a negative correlation with HDL (r = -0.352) in all players. Conclusion: These data suggest that DIII FB players, particularly unskilled, are at risk for developing MetS. Waist circumference measurement, specifically at the suprailiac, should be included in pre-participation screening along with a consideration for early interventions