Body fat patterns in male and female college students

Forty-eight female college nonathletes and athletes and 56 male college nonathletes and athletes were assessed for skinfold fat thickness and body composition. No significant differences in the amount of fat at any of the selected anatomical sites or in the total amount of body fat were observed within the female groups. The swimming and nonathletic female groups had the lowest percentage of body fat with 23.5% and 23.13, respectively, while the cross-country runners were 24.6% fat, the volleyball players had 25.3% fat and the female basketball players were 25.6% fat. Significant differences were found among the male groups studied in both the thicknesses of the skinfolds at each site and the relative amount of body fat. Male wrestlers were the leanest group with 13.0% body fat. The basketball, cross-country, swimming and volleyball groups were 14.4, 15.3, 16.2, and 17.53 body fat, respectively. The male nonathletic group averaged 23.3% body fat. This group did not differ significantly in the amount of subcutaneous fat from the female non-athletic counterparts or the female athletes. The body composition of aquatic and dryland athletes showed no significant difference insomuch as the percentage of body fat of aquatic athletes was not substantially different from that of dryland athletes,