Shigeyuki Nakaji

The Association between Body Composition and Obesity-Related Conditions of University Male Sumo Wrestlers

The purpose of this study is to clarify the obesity-related problem in university sumo wrestlers by analyzing their blood biochemical values. Subjects were 18 university male sumo wrestlers. Their ages ranged from 18 to 24 years with average of 20.3±1.5 years. The measurements were derived from anthropometric parameters and blood biochemistries such as glucose, total protein, albumin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, AST, ALT, γGTP and uric acid in serum. Subjects were divided into two groups (light bodyweight group and heavy bodyweight group) according to their bodyweight by median. The prevalence of obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, and hyperuricaciduria in university sumo wrestlers were high compared with general population. This tendency was observed in both groups, though it was more notable in the heavy bodyweight group than in the light bodyweight group. It suggests that their nutritional intakes were excessive and inadequate in terms of their health management, leading to the increased risk of lifestyle diseases in the future. Our results suggested that it was important for sumo wrestlers to manage the amount of daily training and nutritional intake appropriately, and to increase bodyweight not by building up the body fat, but by trying to increase the muscular tissue.