Although today’s players are much more likely to weigh in excess of 300 pounds than those in the past, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are fat, Dr. Tucker explains. Athletes are larger nowadays due to rule changes in the 1970s and 1980s that were aimed at protecting their lower bodies; those guidelines also gave larger players a competitive advantage.
If one goes by body mass index alone—a measure of height and weight that doesn’t take into account muscle mass—more than half of players are obese, according to a 2005 study.
However, Dr. Tucker and his team found that the average percentage of body fat was 14%, ranging from 8% to 10% in the leaner positions—such as wide receivers and linebackers—to 20% in defensive linemen and 25% in offensive linemen.
“Even our offensive linemen are really on the upper limits of what’s considered healthy,” says Dr. Tucker. “There are plenty of my regular patients who would take that.”
Overall, Dr. Tucker says he is most worried about older, retired athletes.
“I’m concerned about whether there is a constellation of things going on that puts them at risk when they’re 45 or 55,” he says.
More attention is being paid to detraining athletes so that they can adopt healthier lifestyles and better nutrition after they retire, says William Kraemer, PhD, a professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut.
“It really is tough because you’re trying to stay big in your playing days,” says Kraemer. “The big fear is, [after retirement] you stop exercising and you keep eating the way you used to when you were expending a lot of calories. A lot of times when kids get out of college or they get out of the pros, there is no system in place that helps them make the transition.”
The Ravens’ Bannan says the older generation is teaching younger players the importance of changing their lifestyle after retirement.
“If you’re a heavier player, a linemen that’s over 300 pounds, really what it comes down to is a lifestyle change and eating healthier, losing weight when you are done, and staying active and staying healthy,” says Bannan, who is 6’3” and 310 pounds. “Make a few changes in your life; I think that’s going to make things a lot better for you down the road.”
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