Are Major League Baseball players becoming more unhealthy than ever before? This question led David E. Conroy, professor of kinesiology at Penn State, along with a group of colleagues, to review 145 years of data on pro MLB players, paying particular attention to body mass index (BMI).
What they found was that MLB athletes held a steady weight for more than 100 years, with the majority of them weighing in with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9. (This is considered normal by today’s standards, according to the research.) But for the past 25 or so years, average players’ BMI has risen, and now nearly 80 percent of players fall into the overweight or obese category, with a BMI above 25.
“Research exists that shows how having extra weight can help with certain aspects of baseball,” said Conroy, also professor of human development and family studies. “The more force a batter can put into the ball, the farther it will travel.”
Using the Lahman Baseball Database, where players’ height, weight and age are recorded for their debut year in the League, Conroy noted a trend of players increasing weight, and furthermore saw it as a potential concern for their overall health.
Conroy and colleagues report their findings in Obesity Research and Clinical Practice.
The rise also coincides with baseball’s steroid era, advances in sports science and nutrition, which the study notes could lead to weight gain.
“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,” the researchers wrote.
