BODY COMPOSITION AND SOMATOTYPE OF ERASMUS STUDENTS

ABSTRACT The present study aims to investigate the body composition and somatotype of students from several European countries, who study Sports Sciences or Physical Education in their countries and were in Bulgaria, in the National Sports Academy like incoming participants in the Educational Program Erasmus. They all practice different sports at an amateur level. Material and Methodology: An anthropometric investigation of 30 male and 20 female students was done. It included the following parameters height (cm), weight (kg), body circumferences of arms and legs (cm), skinfolds (mm), and bone diameters (cm) with corresponding certified devices. Over the measured features composed parameters, characterizing body composition were calculated- a percentage of body fat (%), absolute quantity of fat tissue (kg), lean body mass (kg), an absolute quantity of muscle mass (kg), muscular circumferences of arm and tight (cm) and Body Mass Index (BMI). The somatotype of the students was defined by the Heath-Carter method. The data were compared with those of Bulgarian and Greek students studying similar disciplines- Sports Sciences and Physical Education. Conclusion: The results in concern of the % of body fat tissue seem to be similar between those of Erasmus and Bulgarian students in males (about 12%) and a little bit different in females (15-20%). Somatotypologic characteristics mark higher value in the mesomorphic component in both Erasmus and Bulgarian students.