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. 2022 Feb 14;8:23. doi: 10.1186/s40798-022-00414-1

Table 1.

Comparison of body composition and assessment methods in professional and retired jockeysa

Study (country) Participants Body composition Assessment method
Number (sex) Age Body mass (kg) Height (cm) BMI (kg m−2) Body fat % Lean mass (kg) Fat mass (kg) ∑ of 7 (mm)
Leydon and Wall [20] (New Zealand) 6 (m) and 14 (f) flat 23.5 ± 4.3 (m); 24.5 ± 6.7 (f) 52.8 ± 2.4 (m); 49.3 ± 3.4 (f) 162.3 ± 4.4 (m); 156.2 ± 4.0 (f) 20.1 ± 1.5 (m); 20.2 ± 1.5 (f) 11.7 ± 2.9 (m); 23.6 ± 3.8 (f) DXA
Wilson et al. [12] (UK) 8 (m) and 8 (f) flat 26.0 ± 5.0 (m); 29.0 ± 8.0 (f) 57 ± 2.1 (m); 57.3 ± 3.5 (f) 167.0 ± 4.0 (m); 163.0 ± 5.0 (f) 12.5 ± 2.7 (m); 19.5 ± 2.5 (f) 45.7 ± 1.2 (m), 42.0 ± 3.3 (f) DXA
Jackson et al. [13] (UK) 79 (m) and 37 (f) app; 69 (m) con

18.5 ± 1.9 (m)

19.3 ± 2.0 (f) app; 20.7 ± 2.0 con (m)

52.9 ± 2.9 (m)

51.6 ± 4.0 (f) app; 63.7 ± 3.6 con (m)

167.0 ± 6.0 (m)

157.0 ± 5.0 (f) app; 176.0 ± 5.0 con (m)

19.0 ± 1.4 (m) 20.8 ± 1.7 (f) app; 20.6 ± 1.3 con 14.6 ± 2.3 (m) 24.4 ± 3.7 (f) app; 15.7 ± 2.7 con 42.5 ± 2.6 (m), 36.4 ± 2.7 (f) app; 50.7 ± 3.1 con (m) 7.6 ± 1.3 (m), 12.4 ± 2.4 (f) app; 9.9 ± 1.7 con (m) DXA
Wilson et al. [21] (UK) 32 (m) app 19.0 ± 1.8 56.0 ± 2.9 169.0 ± 4.7 45.1 ± 2.6 7.2 ± 1.8 DXA
Cullen et al. [22] (Ireland) 18 (m) tra; 8 (m) app 16.0 ± 1.0 tra; 18.0 ± 1.0 app 55.7 ± 5.5 tra; 54.9 ± 2.9 app 167.0 ± 5.0 tra; 169.0 ± 4.0 app 19.9 ± 1.7 tra; 19.2 ± 1.1 app 8.1 ± 1.7 tra 7.4 ± 1.3 app 45.7 ± 7.5 tra; 42.0 ± 8.0 app

Skinfold thickness

Withers equation

Wilson et al. [23] (UK) 17 (m) app; 14 (m) sen flat 19.0 ± 2.0 app; 32.0 ± 7.0 sen 56.2 ± 2.0 app; 56.4 ± 3.0 sen 170.0 ± 5.0 app; 166.0 ± 5.0 sen 13.7 ± 2.6 app; 12.5 ± 1.9 sen 46.4 ± 2.0 app; 45.7 ± 3.1 sen 7.5 ± 1.7 app; 6.8 ± 1.4 sen DXA
Labadarios et al. [24] (South Africa) 93 (m) flat and NH 27.8 52.9 160.9 11.0 Skinfold thickness
Warrington et al. [2] (Ireland) 17 (m) flat; 10 (m) NH 26.7 ± 7.6 flat; 28.3 ± 5.3 NH 53.1 ± 4.1 flat; 66.2 ± 2.9 NH 160.0 ± 10.0 flat; 173.0 ± 10.0 NH 19.9 ± 1.3 flat; 22.1 ± 0.8 NH

DXA: 9.0 ± 2.5 flat; 10.4 ± 4.0 NH

SK: 7.9 ± 1.7 flat; 9.9 ± 1.6 NH

44.3 ± 10.2 flat; 56.1 ± 9.4 NH

DXA and Skinfolds

Thickness

Withers equation

Dolan et al. [1] (Ireland) 17 (m) flat; 10 (m) NH 26.7 ± 7.6 flat; 28.3 ± 5.3NH 53.1 ± 4.1 flat; 66.2 ± 2.9 NH 167.0 ± 10.0 flat; 173.0 ± 10.0 NH 19.9 ± 1.3 flat; 22.1 ± 0.8 NH 9 5 ± 2.5 flat; 10.4 ± 4.0 NH 49.7 ± 6.2 flat and NH DXA
Hitchens et al. [25] (Australia) 7 (m) and 1 (f) app + sen 28.8 ± 10.1 55.1 ± 5.9 163.4 ± 7.1 20.6 ± 1.6 14.0 ± 3.5b DXA
Dolan et al. [11] (Ireland) 20 (m) flat and NH 26.0 ± 3.0 61.1 ± 5.4 170.0 ± 7.0 21.4 ± 1.8 11.4 ± 5.6 52.5 ± 5.2 6.8 ± 3.6 DXA
Dolan et al. [26] (Ireland) 14 (m) flat; 16 (m) NH 25.0 ± 7.0 flat; 24.0 ± 4.0 NH 54.6 ± 3.6 flat; 64.3 ± 3.3 NH 165.0 ± 6.0 flat; 172.0 ± 5.0 NH 20.2 ± 1.6 flat; 21.9 ± 1.2 NH 8.3 ± 2.9 flat; 13.8 ± 6.0 NH 49.4 ± 3.8 flat; 53.7 ± 4.3 NH 4.4 ± 1.5 flat; 8.7 ± 3.9 NH DXA
Wilson et al. [27]c (UK) 9 (m) NH 24.0 ± 3.1 63.2 ± 4.7 172.0 ± 5.2 11.3 ± 2.2 51.6 ± 3.7 6.9 ± 1.7 DXA
Wilson et al. [3] (UK) 19 (m) flat; 18 (m) NH 27.0 ± 5.0 flat; 25.0 ± 5.0 NH 56.1 ± 2.9 flat; 65.3 ± 2.5 NH 167.0 ± 5.0 flat; 175.0 ± 5.0 NH 20.3 ± 1.4 flat; 21.4 ± 1.3 NH 13.0 ± 3.0 flat; 11.5 ± 3.3 NH 7.4 ± 1.0 flat; 8.2 ± 2.1 NH DXA
Dolan et al. [28] (Ireland) 4 (m) flat; 5 (m) NH 24.0 ± 7.0 flat and NH 58.2 ± 5.3 flat and NH 168.0 ± 5.0 flat and NH 20.7 ± 1.7 flat and NH 9.0 ± 1.4 flat and NH 51.1 ± 8.0 flat and NH

Skinfold thickness

Withers equation

Wilson et al. [29]c (UK) 10 (m and f) flat and NH 32.0 ± 6.0 59.2 ± 4.6 167.0 ± 8.0 13.1 ± 5.9 47.1 ± 5.3 7.3 ± 3.5 DXA
O’Reilly et al. [30] (Hong Kong) 20 (m) flat 29.3 ± 7.8 53.8 ± 3.3 162.0 ± 6.0 20.5 ± 1.5 5.8 ± 2.6 50.8 ± 2.5d 3.2 ± 1.5d 42.9 ± 11.8

Skinfold thickness

D & W equation

Poon et al. [9] (Hong Kong) 14 (m) flat 29.1 ± 6.1 52.8 ± 3.7 161.0 ± 5.0 20.3 ± 1.6 42.4 ± 9.1

Skinfold thickness

J & P equation

Jeon et al. [31] (Korea) 10 (m) flat 31.8 ± 3.7 50.6 ± 1.9 157.5 ± 4.5 20.5 ± 1.4 14.4 ± 2.3 43.3 ± 1.7 7.3 ± 1.2 DXA
Dunne et al. [14] (Ireland) 35 (m) flat; 37 (m) NH 27.5 ± 9.6 flat; 27.5 ± 5.4 NH 56.1 ± 3.2 flat; 65.5 ± 3.4 NH 167.2 ± 5.5 flat; 175.6 ± 4.5 NH 15.0 flat; 14.6 NH 44.1 ± 10.2 flate; 47.7 ± 10.5 NHe DXA and skinfold thickness
Dunne et al. [32] (Ireland) 39 (m) flat; 46 (m) NH 26.8 ± 9.6 flat; 27.7 ± 5.9 NH 55.7 ± 3.2 flat; 65.7 ± 3.2 NH 167.3 ± 5.4 flat; 174.6 ± 4.4 NH 20.0 ± 1.3 flat; 21.6 ± 1.2 NH 14.9 ± 3.0 flat; 15.3 ± 3.4 NH 45.7 ± 3.1 flat; 53.4 ± 3.4 NH 8.0 ± 1.7 flat; 9.6 ± 2.3 NH DXA
Cullen et al. [33] (Ireland) Retired: 7 (m) flat; 12 (m) NH; 9 (m) dual 61.0 ± 6.0 flat; 59.0 ± 6.0 NH; 58.0 ± 7.0 dual 65.6 ± 11.0 flat; 77.9 ± 11.4 NH; 74.5 ± 7.0 dual 163.0 ± 5.0 flat; 167.0 ± 3.0 NH; 166.0 ± 3.0 dual 24.8 ± 4.0 flat; 28.1 ± 4.1 NH; 27.0 ± 2.7 dual 23.1 ± 6.8 flat; 27.1 ± 6.1 NH; 26.9 ± 7.3 dual 42.5 ± 5.3 flat; 49.5 ± 5.2 NH; 47.9 ± 5.2 dual 14.3 ± 7.0 flat; 20.7 ± 7.4 NH; 19.2 ± 6.2 dual DXA
Mackinnon et al. [34] (UK) Retired: 209 (m) all; 135 (m) 50+ 56.1 ± 14.6 all; 64.7 ± 9.9 50+ 24.5 ± 2.9 all; 25.0 ± 3.0 50+ Retired Athletes Questionnaire

Values presented as mean ± SD

f female, m male, NH national hunt, app apprentice, con conditional, sen senior, tra trainee, SK skinfold, dual flat and national hunt riding licence, D & W Durnin & Womersley, J & P Jackson and Pollock, all all jockeys recruited, 50+ jockeys ≥ 50 years of age

aTable is arranged based on sex and racing licence with studies of female jockeys first followed by male apprentice and conditional then senior and retired jockeys

bBased on 5 jockeys

cBaseline measurement of jockeys recruited for study intervention

dEstimated using skinfold prediction equations

eSum of 8 skinfold thickness