This study was conducted to assess body composition and somatotype in elite female distance runners and to investigate the relationship between body composition and somatotype. Nine elite female distance runners (21.6±2.7 yrs) and 10 female college students (21.4±0.5 yrs) as a control group participated in this study. Body composition was estimated in terms of total body water based on the analysis of dilution of orally ingested deuterium oxide (D₂O) in urine. Somatotype was estimated by Heath-Carter method.
The skinfold thickness in distance runners were significantly thinner at 14 sites than those of the control group. The mean subcutaneous fat in distance runners was 4.1±1.6 kg (8.6±2.8%), which was significantly lower than that of the control group (9.4±3.0 kg & 17.2±3.8%) . The mean internal fat in distance runners was 7.2±2.0 kg (15.5±3.5%), which tended to be lower than that of the control group (8.2±1.5 kg & 15.4±2.2%) . The mean fat mass and percentage of body fat in distance runners were 11.3±3.1 kg and 24.1±4.7%, respectively, which were siginificantly lower than those of the control group (17.6±4.2 kg & 32.6±5.2%) . On the other hand, somatotype scores in distance runners were 2.35-2.32-3.82, suggesting more ectomorphic. In addition, fat mass positively correlated with the first component (r=0.890-0.916, p<0.05), and negatively correlated with the third component (r=-0.635--0.818, p<0.05) . The subjects who were more ectomorphic had less fat mass. However, the second component that was mesomorphic had no significant correlation with lean body mass. And the mean lean body mass in distance runners was almost the same as that of the control group (35.1±2.5 kg & 36.1±3.5 kg) .
The results of this study suggest that although endurance training done by elite female distance runners does not increase their lean body mass, it has a great influence on their subcutaneous fat.