OBJECTIVES: to describe body composition alteration patterns (body weight, height, body mass index - BMI), percentage of body fat and skinfold thickness, and to compare menarche's age of athletes and non-athletes. METHODS: we evaluated 165 girls (aged 9 to 17 years old) non-athletes and athletes of swimmers grouped according to maturational groups (pre-puberty, puberty e post-puberty). The anthropometric variables followed standardized rules. The percentage of body fat was estimated by an equation validated for the studied population. The age of menarche was established through the record method. RESULTS: there was no difference between groups in the pre-puberty stage. In the puberty stage, the athletes showed lower triciptal skinfold mean values (athletes = 15.5 + 15.3; non-athletes = 20.1 + 7.0, p < 0.05), and subscapular (athletes = 14.7 + 5.1 e non-athletes = 20.6 + 10.3, p < 0.05), percentage of body fat (athletes = 25.2 + 5.9 e non- athletes = 28.4 6.0, p < 0.05), and the fat mass (athletes = 8.7 + 3.5 and non-athletes = 9.8 + 3.7, p < 0.05). These results remained in the post-puberty stage. Menarche occurred later in the athlete group (athletes = 12,0 + 1,04 e non-athletes = 11,2 + 1,37, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: in athletes, some changes in body composition seem to take place, particularly the amount of body fat which could be associated with late menarche.
Body fat; Growth; Training; Menarche
