Body Composition, Functionality, and Injuries in Football among Amateur Male University Players in Central Thailand

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: This study examined Body Composition, level of Functionality, and Injury at a university in Central Thailand. It aimed to investigate the relationships among these variables within the context of non-athletic amateur football players in the selected geographical area, taking into account their relevant demographic characteristics.

Introduction/Background: Football is one of the most popular team sports, and many students, faculty, and staff are actively involved in it at the selected university in Central Thailand. A lack of comprehensive data exists on Body Composition and Injury risk among Thai university football players, particularly in comparison to professional athletes. Evaluating Injury becomes relevant to a relatively large population in the specific sport. The relationship between body composition and injuries among football players has been a topic of considerable research interest, particularly given the sport's physical demands. It has been found that body composition is linked to the likelihood of injury, with athletes having higher body fat percentages being more prone to injuries. Another variable of interest in this study was the level of Functionality, which is closely linked to body composition.

Methodology: A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing stratified random sampling for sample selection. This study had 113 respondents who were amateur male football players from the selected university. The data collected included general characteristics of the players, such as body composition, injury rates, and the level of functionality. Key leaders, including team captains and research assistants, administered the questionnaire to the players. Body composition was measured using the KARADA Scan Omron HBF-375, while injury and functionality were assessed via standardized questionnaires. Data were collected between April and June 2025. The statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney comparative analysis test, the Chi-Square test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Jamovi Statistical Software Version 2.3.28.0 was used.

Findings: Among participants, 51% reported at least one injury during the season, with 55% of injuries occurring below the knee, and most resulting from contact mechanisms. The average body composition metrics were a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 22.98, body fat of 16.59%, and a Body Age of 28.95 years. The data showed no statistical significance (p-value > .05) between Body Composition, level of Functionality, and Injury groups. Mann-Whitney tests revealed no significant differences in Level of Functionality, BMI, Body Fat, and Body Age between Injury Groups (p-value > .05). Chi-square tests showed no association between Injury Groups and BMI across four levels (p-value > .05). Kruskal-Wallis tests revealed that there was no significance between Body Composition and Injury Groups. Although most variables did not show significant relationships, body fat demonstrated a statistically significant association with playing position (p = .003), and BMI was significantly related to the level of functionality (p = .037). The substantial correlation observed between body fat percentage and playing position implies that different positions within the team may necessitate varying body fat levels for optimal performance. The significance of this correlation between Body Mass Index and functionality suggests that as an individual's functional capacity changes, so does their BMI.

Contributions/Impact on Society: This study contributes to understanding injuries among amateur football players in non-athletic settings. The findings provided evidence that contrasted with studies linking body composition to injuries, indicating that other factors may also influence outcomes among the selected player profiles. This presented a need to investigate amateur football as a unique context with various factors that could impact Injury. It also highlights the need to enhance player awareness of training, screening, and holistic health education for student athletes in university settings. The findings of the study can be used as informative material to strengthen proposed awareness. In particular, these insights may guide coaches, health educators, and university sports administrators in developing evidence-based programs that promote injury prevention and overall athlete well-being.

Recommendations: Key recommendations can be drawn from the results of this study. First, amateur football is a unique context, and results may vary depending on the context. The ideal way to investigate them in any context would require pilot testing.  Second, football organizers can establish a medical record system to document injuries (e.g., type of Injury, mechanism of injury, loss of playing days). Finally, players can reduce their risk of injury through proper pre-season training, screening, and holistic health education.

Research Limitations: Several limitations in this study are acknowledged. First, the study relied on self-reported injury data, which may be subject to recall bias. Recall bias can threaten a study’s internal validity, potentially leading to erroneous conclusions about associations between variables. Second, the sample size may have been insufficient to detect meaningful effects.  

Future Research: Future research could employ larger, more diverse samples (e.g., female, older populations) and objective measures of injury (e.g., medical records) to enhance validity. Additionally, exploring interactions between body composition and other variables (e.g., fitness level, previous injury history, individual player characteristics, and environmental conditions) may provide deeper insights into injury risk factors in amateur football.