Examining the Relationship Between Body Fat Percentage, Sleep Duration, and External Load Indicators in Elite Female Football Players
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19255948Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between body fat percentage, weekly sleep duration, and match-related external load and fatigue indicators in elite female football players. Thirteen players competing in the Turkish Women’s Super League voluntarily participated in the study. Body fat percentage was assessed using the skinfold method, sleep duration was recorded through a weekly sleep diary, and match external load data were collected during official league matches using STATSports GPS devices. Data were analyzed using SPSS (Version 26) and Pearson correlation analysis. The results indicated that weekly sleep duration was significantly and positively associated with several external load variables, including total distance, distance/min, accelerations, decelerations, dynamic stress load, total metabolic power, energy expenditure, mechanical load, and fatigue index. In contrast, no significant relationship was found between body fat percentage and the examined external load indicators. Additionally, strong correlations among external load variables suggest that match demands reflect a multidimensional yet highly interconnected load profile. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of sleep duration in load tolerance and fatigue management among elite female football players.
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