Discriminant Analysis of Anthropometric and Training Variables among Runners of Different Competitive Levels

Mabliny Thuany, Raphael F. de Souza, Lee Hill, João Lino Mesquita, Thomas Rosemann, Beat Knechtle, Sara Pereira and Thayse Natacha Gomes
Additional contact information
Mabliny Thuany: Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
Raphael F. de Souza: Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil
Lee Hill: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
João Lino Mesquita: Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
Thomas Rosemann: Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
Beat Knechtle: Medbase St. Gallen Am Vadianplatz, Vadianstrasse 26, 9001 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Sara Pereira: Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
Thayse Natacha Gomes: Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-9

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the multivariate profile of different types of Brazilian runners and to identify the discriminant pattern of the distinct types of runners, as a runners’ ability to self-classify well. The sample comprised 1235 Brazilian runners of both sexes (492 women; 743 men), with a mean age of 37.94 ± 9.46 years. Individual characteristics were obtained through an online questionnaire: Sex, age, body height (m) and body mass (kg), socioeconomic status, and training information (i.e., self-classification, practice time, practice motivation, running pace, frequency and training volume/week). Multivariate analysis of variance was conducted by sex and the discriminant analysis was used to identify which among running pace, practice time, body mass index and volume/training could differentiate groups such as “professional athletes”, “amateur athletes” and “recreational athletes”. For both sexes, running pace was the variable that better discriminated the groups, followed by BMI and volume/week. The practice time is not a good indicator to differentiate runner’s types. In both sexes, semi-professional runners were those that better self-classify themselves, with amateur runners presenting the highest classification error. This information can be used to guide the long-term training, athlete’s selection programs, and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of athletes.

Keywords: runners; discriminant analysis; performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8/4248/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8/4248/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:8:p:4248-:d:537776

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().