Body Composition, Body Water Distribution, and Phase Angle in Elite Track and Field Athletes: A Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Study

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) provides additional information on body composition and bioelectrical parameters such as resistance, reactance, and phase angle (PhA). The present study aimed to characterize the anthropometric profile, body composition, body water distribution, and bioelectrical parameters of elite track-and-field sprinters, as well as to explore the associations between phase angle and indicators of body composition and fluid distribution. An exploratory descriptive study was conducted in 14 track-and-field athletes (nine females and five males). Anthropometric variables, fat mass, body fat percentage, fat-free mass, total body water, intracellular and extracellular compartments, ECW/TBW ratio, resistance, reactance, and phase angle were analyzed. The sample exhibited a body weight of 65.65 ± 9.01 kg, a body fat percentage of 18.09 ± 5.80%, a fat-free mass of 53.86 ± 9.06 kg, and a phase angle of 6.17 ± 0.75°. Phase angle was higher in males than in females (6.78° vs. 5.83°). A positive association was observed between PhA and fat-free mass (ρ = 0.735; p = 0.003), whereas the association with body fat percentage was negative (ρ = -0.579; p = 0.030); a negative association was also observed with ECW/TBW (ρ = -0.682; p = 0.007). Overall, these findings support the value of integrating anthropometric and bioelectrical parameters to characterize the anthropometric, body composition, and bioelectrical profile of elite athletes.