Matłosz, PiotrMakivic, BojanCsapo, RobertHume, PMitter, BenediktMartínez-Rodríguez, AlejandroBauer, Pascal2023-08-222023-08-222023Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, ISSN: 1550-2783 (Print); 1550-2783 (Online), BMC, 20(1), 2246414-2246414. doi: 10.1080/15502783.2023.22464141550-27831550-2783http://hdl.handle.net/10292/16587BACKGROUND: Reference values of body fat for competitive volleyball players are lacking, making it difficult to interpret measurement results. This review systematically summarized published data on the relative body fat of volleyball players and calculated potential differences between sex, measurement method, and competitive level. METHODS: The protocol followed the Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. The literature search was conducted using five electronic databases to retrieve all relevant publications from January 1, 2010, to July 1, 2021. The 63 studies including 2607 players that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed using random-effects models. Data were reported as pooled mean body fat with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Body fat for males and females was 12.8% (11.9-13.8%) and 22.8% (21.9-23.7%), respectively. Body fat was 18.3% (16.3-20.4%) measured via skinfolds, 18.4% (15.6-21.2%) via bioelectrical impedance analysis, 24.2% (20.4-28.0%) via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and 21.6% (17.4-25.8%) via densitometry. Regional, national, and international-level players had body fat values of 19.5% (17.8-21.2%), 20.3% (18.6-22.0%), and 17.9% (15.7-20.4%), respectively. When the meta-regression was adjusted for the variables sex, measurement method, and competitive level, a significant difference between sex (p < 0.001), dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and skinfolds (p = 0.02), and national and international-level players (p = 0.02) was found. However, sensitivity analysis revealed that findings regarding measurement method and competitive level were not robust and should, therefore, be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limitations of published data, this meta-analysis provided pooled values for body fat of male and female volleyball players for different competitive levels and measurement methods.© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/anthropometrybody compositionFatreference valuesvolleyballFatanthropometrybody compositionreference valuesvolleyball32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences3202 Clinical Sciences42 Health Sciences0606 Physiology1106 Human Movement and Sports Sciences1111 Nutrition and DieteticsSport Sciences3210 Nutrition and dietetics4207 Sports science and exerciseAbsorptiometry, PhotonAdipose TissueAnthropometryBody CompositionFemaleHumansMaleVolleyballHumansMaleFemaleVolleyballBody CompositionAnthropometryAdipose TissueAbsorptiometry, PhotonJournal ArticleOpenAccess10.1080/15502783.2023.2246414