İnvestigation of the relationship between body composition and some motoric features in sedentary individuals

In this study, the aim was to examine the relationship between selected values of body composition, physical characteristics, and certain motoric traits in sedentary individuals, focusing on the similarities and differences between men and women. The study involved 12 male (19,33±0,98) and 12 female (19±0,73) students from the 1st and 2nd years of the Faculty of Sports Sciences, who participated voluntarily, using a random sampling method. The data were collected using a cross-sectional method over three different days. The statistical analysis of the data was performed using the SPSS software. Before evaluating the study data, the homogeneity and normality of the data collected from female and male participants were determined using Levene's and Shapiro-Wilk tests. The Spearman Correlation test was used to determine the level and direction of the relationship between the variables. In males, flexibility showed a linear relationship (0.01) with body fat percentage and a strong inverse relationship (-0.01) with lean body mass; however, this relationship was no longer significant in females. A significant relationship was found between the waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index (BMI) values and power outputs in males, while no such significant relationship was observed in females. Among the physical characteristics, the chest circumference showed a significant relationship with motoric features in more parameters in the male group. In this study, conducted with sedentary male and female individuals, the number of significant relationships between selected values of body composition, physical characteristics, and certain motoric traits, as well as the strength of these relationships, was found to be greater in males. This difference can be explained by the variations in the types and duration of physical stress individuals experience from childhood to the age of 19-20, along with differences in genetics, physiology, and the distribution of body composition components. It is suggested that in planning training or exercise programs aimed at improving body composition or some motoric features, structuring the content according to gender and monitoring the development of the intended characteristic alongside other parameters that are significantly related would lead to more meaningful results. Keywords: Sedentary, body composition, physical characteristics, motoric features