Body fat cutoff points identified for optimal soccer performance

A recent study has established clear, practical cutoff points for body fat measurements that are strongly associated with physical performance of male professional soccer players. The research, conducted on athletes from the Brazilian state championship, provides coaches and sports scientists with simple tools to monitor players and help maintain optimal fitness levels. These insightful findings were recently published by Translational Exercise Biomedicine (ISSN: 2942-6812), an official partner journal of International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS).

The study, entitled "Associations between anthropometric outcomes and fat percentage with physical performance in professional soccer players: a cutoff points approach," recruited 52 male professional soccer players. Researchers measured body composition using various skinfold protocols and assessed physical performance through a variety of tests, including vertical jumps, a 20-meter sprint, and the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 test (YoYoIRL1), a widely-used indicator of aerobic capacity.

Key findings revealed that abdominal skinfold thickness, the sum of chest, abdominal, and front thigh skinfolds, and body fat percentage calculated using the Jackson and Pollock three-skinfold protocol were strongly correlated with performance in the YoYoIRL1 test. Researchers then conducted statistical analysis to establish specific cutoff points: 20 mm for abdominal skinfold, 33 mm for the sum of three skinfolds, and 13% for body fat percentage. Players exceeding these values were more likely to show reduced performance in the aerobic endurance test.

According to the first author, Pedro Schons, this research addresses a critical gap in sports science. "With so many different methods available to measure body composition, it can be challenging for coaching staff to choose the most effective one. Our study not only identifies which measures are most strongly linked to aerobic performance, but also provides clear and feasible thresholds that can be easily implemented in real-world settings."

The study found that aerobic performance was significantly more affected by higher body fat levels than anaerobic performance, e.g., sprinting and jumping, probably because excess fat acts as non-functional mass, increasing the energy cost of movement and reducing relative oxygen uptake efficiency.

Prof. Eduardo L. Cadore, leader of the team, emphasized the translational value of the work. "This is the first study to propose such cutoff points specifically related to a decline in aerobic performance in soccer players. These benchmarks offer a practical and quick alternative for monitoring players, especially during periods when full fitness testing is not feasible, bridging the gap between complex scientific data and everyday coaching practice."

Researchers also recommend that soccer technical staff regularly monitor these specific anthropometric measures. By ensuring players remain below the proposed thresholds, teams can better manage athlete conditioning and potentially enhance on-field performance, particularly in activities requiring strong aerobic capacity.

Although these findings are highly relevant, the authors stress that the results are based on a specific group of players during the pre-season and may vary across different leagues, countries, and competitive levels. They encourage further studies to validate these cutoff points in other populations.