Association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference with leg power in cricketers

Cricket is one of the most well-known sports played in India. It not only comprises of aerobic activity but also includes complex-based movements like running, jumping, diving, catching, etc that depend on various individual factors such as height, weight, power, endurance, agility etc.

Objectives

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between BMI, Waist circumference with leg power in cricket players.

Design

The study was a cross-sectional assessment-based study.

Setting

Players from different clubs and associations were included.

Participants

43 male and female cricketers from both recreational and professional backgrounds, between the age group of 16–25 years were included in the study.

Main outcome measures

Participants were included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria using validated screening tools and assessment protocols. The BMI, and WC using a weighing scale and measuring tape respectively, and leg power was measured using the vertical jump test which is a commonly used tool to measure an athlete's ability to explosively drive themselves off the ground in a vertical direction, providing insight into the strength and power generated by the lower muscles.

Results

A significant negative correlation was found between Waist circumference and Leg power with r value of −0.338 with p = 0.023. While a significant but weak negative correlation was found between BMI and Leg power with r value of −0.279 with p = 0.070.

Conclusion

Present study concluded that waist circumference has a significant negative correlation with leg power than BMI in cricketers.