Composición corporal y perfil dietético en futbolistas pertenecientes a la categoría Sub-15 de las divisiones formativas del Club Sport Emelec durante el período 2025-2026.

Abstract

Body composition assessment and dietary profile evaluation in adolescent soccer players represent essential components for identifying physical and nutritional conditions associated with growth and the demands of youth football; therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of players from the Under-15 category of Club Sport Emelec during the 2025–2026 period through a quantitative approach, a descriptive scope, a non-experimental design, and a cross-sectional study involving 42 participants whose age, body weight, height, body mass index, body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, and weekly food consumption frequency by food groups were assessed; the findings showed a mean age of 14.33 ± 0.48 years, a body weight of 49.24 ± 13.29 kg, a height of 1.56 ± 0.14 m, and a body mass index of 19.84 ± 2.78 kg/m², whereas mean body fat percentage reached 15.8 ± 6.47% and mean skeletal muscle mass reached 22.7 ± 7.39 kg; nutritional classification identified adequate nutritional status in 73.8% of the participants, overweight in 23.8%, and thinness in 2.4%, together with a predominant consumption of cereals and meat and meat products five to six times per week, whereas fruit and vegetable consumption occurred mainly two to four times per week; in conclusion, adequate nutritional status predominated, although the frequency of overweight and the variations observed in body composition and dietary profile support the need for periodic nutritional follow-up.