Table 1.

Self-reported Characteristics of British Professional and Amateur Natural Bodybuilders Preparing for Competition

	Male competitors					Female competitors					Male		Female
	PRO	SD	AMA	SD	P value	PRO	SD	AMA	SD	P value	Mean	SD	Mean	SD
Age	34.9	8.6	29.7	8.5	0.147	45.6	9.3	36.0	7.9	0.064	30.9	8.7	39.4	9.4
Years Bodybuilding	17.0	8.4	11.2	7.8	0.083	4.3	2.3	5.3	2.7	0.667	12.6	8.2	4.9	3.8
Years Competing	12.3	9.2	2.4	1.4	>  0.001	3.6	2.4	2.7	1.2	0.348	4.8	6.2	3.0	1.7
Height (m)	1.77	0.05	1.77	0.1	0.865	1.64	0.1	1.62	0.1	0.527	1.77	0.05	1.63	0.1
Diet Length (weeks)	28.1	8.1	21.0	9.4	0.064	25.0	7.3	25.0	8.3	1.000	22.7	9.5	25.0	7.7
Diet Start Weight (kg)	95.6	8.3	88.3	8.0	0.032	65.5	5.9	65.7	6.0	0.964	90.1	8.5	65.6	5.8
Diet End Weight (kg)	82.3	6.6	74.9	6.6	0.010	57.4	4.7	56.0	4.7	0.597	76.7	7.2	56.5	4.6
Total Weight Loss (kg)	13.4	6.1	13.1	5.2	0.916	8.1	1.6	9.7	3.3	0.336	13.2	5.4	9.1	2.8
Weight Loss Per Week (kg)	0.5	0.2	0.6	0.2	0.936	0.3	0.1	0.4	0.1	0.367	0.5	0.2	0.3	0.1
% Weight Loss	13.8	5.5	14.7	5.4	0.681	12.3	1.7	14.6	4.2	0.272	14.5	5.3	13.8	3.6
% weight loss per week	0.5	0.1	0.7	0.2	0.008	0.5	0.1	0.6	0.2	0.336	0.7	0.2	0.6	0.2
Start BMI (kg/m2)	30.4	1.5	28.4	2.5	0.038	24.2	1.4	25.0	2.1	0.446	28.9	2.5	24.7	1.9
End BMI (kg/m2)	26.2	1.01	24.0	1.7	>  0.001	21.2	1.2	21.3	1.2	0.915	24.5	1.8	21.3	1.2

p value, difference in means between Pros and Amateur competitors, Male competitors Pros n - 8, Amateur n - 25, Male Mean n - 33, Female competitors PRO n – 5, AMA n – 9, Female Mean n - 14. Data analysed using a student t test where p < 0.05 equals statistical significance

Abbreviations: PRO professional, AMA amateur, SD standard deviation, BMI body mass index