Obesity rates soar among professional baseball players, study shows

October 6, 2016

Study analyzed body mass index of Major League Baseball 1871-2015
Most players had a normal BMI between 1871 and 1991, study showed
But now 80% of players are technically ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’
Researchers admit this could coincide with changes in muscle-building
But lead author at Penn State University warns it is cause for concern

Mia De Graaf For Dailymail.com

Published:
16:54 EST, 5 October 2016

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Updated:
17:06 EST, 5 October 2016

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Major League Baseball players are overwhelmingly overweight and obese this generation, a new study claims.

Researchers at Penn State University analyzed the body mass index of professional batters and bowlers over the last 100 years.

They found the majority of athletes between 1871 and 1991 had a ‘normal’ body weight between 18.5 and 24.9 BMI.

Today, nearly 80 per cent of players technically fall into the category of overweight or obese, with a BMI above 25.

Spare tire: Bartolo Colon (left) and Lance Lynn (right) are high profile players carrying extra weight – before Lynn had a very rapid and public weight loss between seasons in 2013

Heavy hitters: A study analyzing MLB weight and height data shows players are getting bigger

Critics claim BMI is not an accurate measure of body health, and a high number could reflect bulk in muscle.

But lead researcher Professor David Conroy insists the trend is concerning and should be monitored.

Studies have shown clear links between obesity and a slew of life-threatening diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease.

The authors of the study do admit, however, that in terms of technique and power, extra weight might not be such a bad thing.

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‘Research exists that shows how having extra weight can help with certain aspects of baseball,’ said lead researcher Professor David Conroy, also professor of human development and family studies.

‘The more force a batter can put into the ball, the further it will travel.’

To map out players’ weights, the research team collected data from the Lahman Baseball Database, which records each player’s height, weight and age on entering the league.

It has to be noted that this does not account for any weight changes during their career, which typically lasts around six years.

Waistlines in the league began to expand around 1991, 20 years after obesity levels started rapidly climbing in the US.

Experts suggest this could be attributed to a number of factors – including the dawn of the steroid era in the early 1990s.

They also admit that the last 25 years has seen significant advances in sports science and nutrition, changing the way players eat and train.

Protein shakes, carb-loading, and supplements have entered the equation to help athletes build muscle.

‘The data are observational, and raise more questions than they answer,’ Professor Conroy admitted.

‘BMI can be misleading, because it doesn’t take body composition into account. What kind of pounds are the players adding? Are they mostly muscle or fat?’

Writing in the journal Obesity Research and Clinical Practice, the researchers said: ‘These trends warrant further attention because of the potential for adverse long-term health consequences in this population and those who perceive them as role models for health and human performance.’