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. 2021 Mar 2;18(5):2413.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052413.

Utilizing a Novel 2D Image Processing System for Relating Body Composition Metrics to Performance in Collegiate Female Rowers

Michael R Esco  1 , Clifton J Holmes  1 , Katherine Sullivan  1 , Bjoern Hornikel  1 , Michael V Fedewa  1
Affiliations

Utilizing a Novel 2D Image Processing System for Relating Body Composition Metrics to Performance in Collegiate Female Rowers

Michael R Esco et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if rowing performance was associated with fat mass (FM) or fat-free mass (FFM) measured using a novel 2D digital image analysis system. Nineteen female rowers (ages = 20.3 ± 1.0 years, weight = 73.8 ± 8.3 kg, height = 172.7 ± 4.7 cm) participated in this study. FM and FFM were estimated with a smartphone application that uses an automated 2D image analysis program. Rowing performance was measured using a 2 km (2k) timed trial on an indoor ergometer. The average speed of the timed trial was recorded in raw units (m·s-1) and adjusted for body weight (m·s-1·kg-1). FFM was significantly correlated to unadjusted 2k speed (r = 0.67, p < 0.05), but not for FM (r = 0.44, p > 0.05). When 2k speed was adjusted to account for body weight, significant correlations were found with FM (r = -0.56, p < 0.05), but not FFM (r = -0.34, p > 0.05). These data indicate that both FM and FFM are related to rowing performance in female athletes, but the significance of the relationships is dependent on overall body mass. In addition, the novel 2D imaging system appears to be a suitable field technique when relating body composition to rowing performance.

Keywords: body fat; fat mass; fat-free mass; female athletes; rowing; technology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Two of the authors (M.R.E., M.V.F.) are coinventors of the 2D image analysis program and co-owners of the commercially available application (mymadeapp.com (accessed on 12 October 2020)).

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
An example of appropriate clothing and body positioning that was used for each scan within the smartphone application’s 2D image analysis system.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scatterplots representing the relationships between unadjusted 2 km (2k) speed and the body composition metrics.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scatterplots representing the relationships between adjusted 2 km (2k) speed and the body composition metrics.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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