Forced Sedentariness and Sports Activity as Factors Differentiating Anthropometric Characteristics, Indices, and Body Composition in People with Disabilities

SIMPLE SUMMARY: People with disabilities, especially those with musculoskeletal disabilities, are prone to leading forced sedentary lifestyles due to their limitations. Inactivity or reduced physical activity affect their body composition and physique. There are also athletes among people with disabilities. The sports they practice can compensate for physical inactivity in everyday life. The aim of our study was to demonstrate that forced sedentariness and varied sports activity are factors differentiating between anthropometric characteristics, indices, and body composition of individuals with disabilities, including Polish Para athletes (track and field athletes, sitting volleyball players, and wheelchair rugby players). It was found that non-athletes had the highest levels of obesity indices compared to Para athletes. Furthermore, in the group of Polish Para athletes, sitting volleyball players had the highest values of obesity indices. The results of the present study indicate that forced sedentariness and sports activity among individuals with disabilities differentiate body structure and physique. ABSTRACT: Introduction: Although the assessment of physique and body composition poses methodological, technical, and interpretative difficulties, it is of great importance for the health of people with disabilities. The aim of the study was to demonstrate that sedentariness and sports activity are factors differentiating anthropometric characteristics, indices, and body composition in people with physical disabilities. Materials and methods: Fifty-eight people were examined: 48 elite Polish Para athletes, including Paralympic track and field athletes (PTF, n = 8), sitting volleyball players (SV, n = 15), wheelchair rugby players (WR, n = 25), and individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI, n = 10). Body mass (BM), body height (BH), body length (BL), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), body fat percentage (%FT), and visceral fat rating (VFR) were measured. Furthermore, BMI, BMIcorrected, and body adiposity index (BAI) were evaluated. Results: The highest WC, BAI, %FT, and VFR were found for the CSCI group. The type of sport significantly differentiated between anthropometric features, indices, and body composition of the athletes. Sitting volleyball players achieved the highest mean BM (83.9), WC (92.9), HC (103.7), BMI (24.5), BAI (23.4), and VFR (12.6). The highest %FT (28.9) was found in wheelchair rugby players. Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate that forced sedentariness and sports activity among individuals with disabilities differentiate body structure and physique.