Gender and Residential Status Differences in Body Composition of SGFI Under-14 Volleyball Players

Abstract

Background: Body composition significantly influences athletic performance in volleyball. Understanding how residential status and gender affect body composition in developing youth athletes is essential for training and nutrition optimization.
Objective: This study compared body composition variables between residential and non-residential SGFI (School Games Federation of India) under-14 volleyball players, stratified by gender. Methods: A total of 47 SGFI U-14 volleyball players (24 males, 23 females; 23 residential, 24 non-residential) participated in this comparative cross-sectional study. Eight body composition variables were measured: body fat percentage, bone mass, basal metabolic rate (BMR), visceral fat percentage, subcutaneous fat percentage, protein mass, muscle mass, and skeletal muscle mass. Independent t-tests with Bonferroni correction (α=0.003125) were used to compare all males versus all females and all residential versus all non-residential groups. Results: Significant gender differences were observed in body composition. Males exhibited lower body fat percentage, visceral fat, and higher muscle mass, skeletal muscle mass, and basal metabolic rate (all p < 0.001, d = 1.30–2.56). Residential athletes showed greater skeletal muscle mass and protein mass than non-residential peers (p < 0.05, d = 0.35–0.88). No significant differences in bone mass were found between groups. Conclusion: Gender emerged as the primary determinant of body composition variations in SGFI U-14 volleyball players, with males exhibiting substantially lower fat mass and higher muscle mass. Residential training facilities appear to provide advantages in muscular development and protein retention, suggesting that environmental factors and structured training protocols contribute to body composition optimization in youth volleyball athletes.

DOI: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/12.2025-44777313