Prevalence, methods of rapid weight loss amongst elite Japanese wrestlers a questionnaire-based study of the 2016 Japanese Wrestling Championship

This study aims to investigate weight loss practices of elite Japanese wrestlers who participated at the 2016 Japanese Wrestling Championship. In this study, we defined rapid weight loss (RWL) as losing 5% or more of their weight relative to their intended weight class, one week before weigh-in. 241...

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Published inJournal of High Performance Sport Vol. 6; pp. 12 - 27
Main Authors Nishimaki, Mio, Teo, Cheryl, Nakajima, Kohei, Yamashita, Daichi, Kondo, Emi
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Japan Institute of Sports Sciences, Japan Sport Council 2020
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ISSN2434-7299
2434-7302
DOI10.32155/jissjhps.6.0_12

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Abstract This study aims to investigate weight loss practices of elite Japanese wrestlers who participated at the 2016 Japanese Wrestling Championship. In this study, we defined rapid weight loss (RWL) as losing 5% or more of their weight relative to their intended weight class, one week before weigh-in. 241 wrestlers completed a questionnaire on their weight loss practices. 109 wrestlers reported RWL and were used for analysis. We found that wrestlers who cut weight over a longer duration utilized a greater variety of weight loss methods than those who cut weight over a shorter duration. Reduced carbohydrate intake was commonly used by wrestlers who cut weight over a longer duration utilized a greater variety of weight loss methods than those who cut weight over a shorter duration. Dehydration was commonly done by all wrestlers. We also identified that the use of low carbohydrate and low salt diets are not optimized for RWL, and suggest for wrestlers to be educated to improve the effectiveness of these methods. Studies to investigate the revision of the weigh-in rules are recommended to better understand the implications of these changes on RWL and recovery practices in wrestlers.
AbstractList This study aims to investigate weight loss practices of elite Japanese wrestlers who participated at the 2016 Japanese Wrestling Championship. In this study, we defined rapid weight loss (RWL) as losing 5% or more of their weight relative to their intended weight class, one week before weigh-in. 241 wrestlers completed a questionnaire on their weight loss practices. 109 wrestlers reported RWL and were used for analysis. We found that wrestlers who cut weight over a longer duration utilized a greater variety of weight loss methods than those who cut weight over a shorter duration. Reduced carbohydrate intake was commonly used by wrestlers who cut weight over a longer duration utilized a greater variety of weight loss methods than those who cut weight over a shorter duration. Dehydration was commonly done by all wrestlers. We also identified that the use of low carbohydrate and low salt diets are not optimized for RWL, and suggest for wrestlers to be educated to improve the effectiveness of these methods. Studies to investigate the revision of the weigh-in rules are recommended to better understand the implications of these changes on RWL and recovery practices in wrestlers.
Author Nakajima, Kohei
Nishimaki, Mio
Kondo, Emi
Teo, Cheryl
Yamashita, Daichi
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  organization: Japan Institute of Sports Sciences
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References Artioli GG, Gualano B, Franchini E, Scagliusi FB, Takesian M, Fuchs M, Lancha AH. Prevalence, magnitude, and methods of rapid weight loss among judo competitors. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 42(3): 436-442, 2010.
Aizawa K, Kukidome T, Masujima A, Nakajima K, Sakamoto S, Toba Y, Nishimaki K, Hosokawa M, Aoyama H, Ohba H. Weight loss methods of junior wrestlers [in Japanese]. The Journal of Japanese Society of Clinical Sports Medicine, 13(2): 214-219, 2005.
Demirkan E, Kutlu M, Koz M, Ozal M, Favre M. Physical Fitness Differences between Freestyle and Greco-Roman Junior Wrestlers. J Hum Kinet, 41: 245-251, 2014.
Reale R, Slater G, Burke LM. Acute-Weight-Loss Strategies for Combat Sports and Applications toOlympic Success. Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 12(2): 142-151, 2017.
Reale R, Slater G, Burke LM. Individualised dietary strategies for Olympic combat sports: Acute weight loss, recovery and competition nutrition. Eur J Sport Sci, 17(6): 727-740, 2017.
Brito CJ, Roas A FC, Brito I SS, Marins J CB, Córdova C, Franchini E. Methods of body mass reduction by combat sport athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 22(2): 89-97, 2012.
Bartok C, Schoeller DA, Randall Clark R, Sullivan JC, Landry GL. The effect of dehydration on wrestling minimum weight assessment. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 36(1): 160-167, 2004.
Fujiyama K, Yamashita D, Nishiguchi S, Ito M. Technical-tactical analysis of men's wrestling: a case study of the 72nd National Athletic Meet of 2017 in Japan. International Journal of WreslingScience, 9(1): 1-6, 2019.
Kondo E, Sagayama H, Yamada Y, Shiose K, Osawa T, Motonaga K, Ouchi S, Kamei A, Nakajima K, Higaki Y, Tanaka H, Takahashi H, Okamura K. Energy Deficit Required for Rapid Weight Loss in Elite Collegiate Wrestlers. Nutrients, 10(5): 536, 2018.
Burke LM, Kiens B, Ivy JL. Carbohydrates and fat for training and recovery. J Sports Sci, 22(1): 15-30, 2004.
National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2019-20 Weight Management Program Information.https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/championships/sports/wrestling/rules/2019-20PRMWR_WeightManagementProgramPacket.pdf. [cited 2019.8.30]
Steen SN, Brownell KD. Patterns of weight loss and regain in wrestlers: has the tradition changed?. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 22(6): 762-768, 1990.
Fleming S, Costarelli V. Nutrient intake and body composition in relation to making weight in young male Taekwondo players. Nutr Food Sci, (5): 358-366, 2007.
Kiningham RB, Gorenflo DW. Weight loss methods of high school wrestlers. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 33(5): 810-813, 2001.
Rogacz S, Williams GH, Hollenberg NK. Time course of enhanced adrenal responsiveness to angiotensin on a low salt diet. Hypertension, 15(4): 376-380, 1990.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hyperthermia and dehydration-related deaths associated with intentional rapid weight loss in three collegiate wrestlers--North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Michigan, November-December 1997. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 47(6): 105-108, 1998.
Oppliger RA, Steen SA, Scott JR. Weight loss practices of college wrestlers. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 13(1): 29-46, 2003.
Kordi R, Ziaee V, Rostami M and Wallace WA. Patterns of weight loss, supplement consumption of male wrestlers in Tehran. Sports Med Arthrosc Rehabil Ther Technol, 3(1): 4, 2011.
Olsson KE, Saltin B. Variation in total body water with muscle glycogen changes in man. Acta Physiol Scand, 80(1): 11-18, 1970.
Sagayama H, Yoshimura E, Yamada Y, Ichikawa M, Ebine N, Higaki Y, Kiyonaga A, Tanaka H. Effects of rapid weight loss and regain on body composition and energy expenditure. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab, 39(1): 21-27, 2014.
Garthe I, Raastad T, Refsnes PE, Koivisto A, Sundgot-Borgen J. Effect of two different weight-loss rates on body composition and strength and power-related performance in elite athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 21(2): 97-104, 2011.
Mountjoy M, Sundgot-Borgen JK, Burke LM, Ackerman KE, Blauwet C, Constantini N, Lebrun C, Lundy B, Melin AK, Meyer NL, Sherman RT, Tenforde AS, Klungland Torstveit M, Budgett R. IOC consensus statement on relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) : 2018 update. Br J Sports Med, 52(11): 687-697, 2018.
Davis SE, Dwyer GB, Reed K, Bopp C, Stosic J, Shepanski M. Preliminary investigation: the impact of the NCAA Wrestling Weight Certification Program on weight cutting. J Strength Cond Res, 16(2): 305-307, 2002.
Fogelholm M. Effects of bodyweight reduction on sports performance. Sports Med, 18(4): 249-267, 1994.
Nattiv A, Loucks AB, Manore MM, Sanborn CF, Sundgot-Borgen J, Warren MP. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 39(10): 1867-1882, 2007.
Khodaee M, Olewinski L, Shadgan B, Kiningham RR. Rapid Weight Loss in Sports with Weight Classes. Curr Sports Med Rep, 14(6): 435-441, 2015.
Popowski LA, Oppliger RA, Patrick Lambert G, Johnson RF, Kim Johnson A, Gisolf CV. Blood and urinary measures of hydration status during progressive acute dehydration. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 33(5): 747-753, 2001.
Alderman BL, Landers DM, Carlson J, Scott JR. Factors Related to Rapid Weight Loss Practicesamong International-style Wrestlers. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 36(2): 249-252, 2004.
Aizawa K, Kukidome T, Aoyama H, Komatsu Y, Nakajima K, Masujima A. The improving effect of the weight loss condition due to the sports medical and sciences information intervention program among Japanese junior wrestlers [in Japanese]. The Journal of Japanese Society of Clinical Sports Medicine, 21(1): 211-220, 2013.
Kukidome T, Aizawa K, Nakajima K, Masujima A. The actual state of weight loss among the contestants for the All Japan Wrestling Championships [in Japanese]. The Journal of Japanese Society of Clinical Sports Medicine, 14(3): 325-332, 2006.
Burke LM, Maughan RJ. The Governor has a sweet tooth – Mouth sensing of nutrients to enhance sports performance. Eur J Sport Sci, 15(1): 29-40, 2015.
References_xml – reference: Reale R, Slater G, Burke LM. Acute-Weight-Loss Strategies for Combat Sports and Applications toOlympic Success. Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 12(2): 142-151, 2017.
– reference: Fogelholm M. Effects of bodyweight reduction on sports performance. Sports Med, 18(4): 249-267, 1994.
– reference: Artioli GG, Gualano B, Franchini E, Scagliusi FB, Takesian M, Fuchs M, Lancha AH. Prevalence, magnitude, and methods of rapid weight loss among judo competitors. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 42(3): 436-442, 2010.
– reference: Aizawa K, Kukidome T, Masujima A, Nakajima K, Sakamoto S, Toba Y, Nishimaki K, Hosokawa M, Aoyama H, Ohba H. Weight loss methods of junior wrestlers [in Japanese]. The Journal of Japanese Society of Clinical Sports Medicine, 13(2): 214-219, 2005.
– reference: Nattiv A, Loucks AB, Manore MM, Sanborn CF, Sundgot-Borgen J, Warren MP. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 39(10): 1867-1882, 2007.
– reference: Davis SE, Dwyer GB, Reed K, Bopp C, Stosic J, Shepanski M. Preliminary investigation: the impact of the NCAA Wrestling Weight Certification Program on weight cutting. J Strength Cond Res, 16(2): 305-307, 2002.
– reference: Alderman BL, Landers DM, Carlson J, Scott JR. Factors Related to Rapid Weight Loss Practicesamong International-style Wrestlers. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 36(2): 249-252, 2004.
– reference: Aizawa K, Kukidome T, Aoyama H, Komatsu Y, Nakajima K, Masujima A. The improving effect of the weight loss condition due to the sports medical and sciences information intervention program among Japanese junior wrestlers [in Japanese]. The Journal of Japanese Society of Clinical Sports Medicine, 21(1): 211-220, 2013.
– reference: Kukidome T, Aizawa K, Nakajima K, Masujima A. The actual state of weight loss among the contestants for the All Japan Wrestling Championships [in Japanese]. The Journal of Japanese Society of Clinical Sports Medicine, 14(3): 325-332, 2006.
– reference: Kordi R, Ziaee V, Rostami M and Wallace WA. Patterns of weight loss, supplement consumption of male wrestlers in Tehran. Sports Med Arthrosc Rehabil Ther Technol, 3(1): 4, 2011.
– reference: Fleming S, Costarelli V. Nutrient intake and body composition in relation to making weight in young male Taekwondo players. Nutr Food Sci, (5): 358-366, 2007.
– reference: Sagayama H, Yoshimura E, Yamada Y, Ichikawa M, Ebine N, Higaki Y, Kiyonaga A, Tanaka H. Effects of rapid weight loss and regain on body composition and energy expenditure. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab, 39(1): 21-27, 2014.
– reference: Demirkan E, Kutlu M, Koz M, Ozal M, Favre M. Physical Fitness Differences between Freestyle and Greco-Roman Junior Wrestlers. J Hum Kinet, 41: 245-251, 2014.
– reference: Olsson KE, Saltin B. Variation in total body water with muscle glycogen changes in man. Acta Physiol Scand, 80(1): 11-18, 1970.
– reference: Brito CJ, Roas A FC, Brito I SS, Marins J CB, Córdova C, Franchini E. Methods of body mass reduction by combat sport athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 22(2): 89-97, 2012.
– reference: Garthe I, Raastad T, Refsnes PE, Koivisto A, Sundgot-Borgen J. Effect of two different weight-loss rates on body composition and strength and power-related performance in elite athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 21(2): 97-104, 2011.
– reference: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hyperthermia and dehydration-related deaths associated with intentional rapid weight loss in three collegiate wrestlers--North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Michigan, November-December 1997. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 47(6): 105-108, 1998.
– reference: Popowski LA, Oppliger RA, Patrick Lambert G, Johnson RF, Kim Johnson A, Gisolf CV. Blood and urinary measures of hydration status during progressive acute dehydration. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 33(5): 747-753, 2001.
– reference: Fujiyama K, Yamashita D, Nishiguchi S, Ito M. Technical-tactical analysis of men's wrestling: a case study of the 72nd National Athletic Meet of 2017 in Japan. International Journal of WreslingScience, 9(1): 1-6, 2019.
– reference: Burke LM, Maughan RJ. The Governor has a sweet tooth – Mouth sensing of nutrients to enhance sports performance. Eur J Sport Sci, 15(1): 29-40, 2015.
– reference: National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2019-20 Weight Management Program Information.https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/championships/sports/wrestling/rules/2019-20PRMWR_WeightManagementProgramPacket.pdf. [cited 2019.8.30]
– reference: Kiningham RB, Gorenflo DW. Weight loss methods of high school wrestlers. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 33(5): 810-813, 2001.
– reference: Steen SN, Brownell KD. Patterns of weight loss and regain in wrestlers: has the tradition changed?. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 22(6): 762-768, 1990.
– reference: Bartok C, Schoeller DA, Randall Clark R, Sullivan JC, Landry GL. The effect of dehydration on wrestling minimum weight assessment. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 36(1): 160-167, 2004.
– reference: Kondo E, Sagayama H, Yamada Y, Shiose K, Osawa T, Motonaga K, Ouchi S, Kamei A, Nakajima K, Higaki Y, Tanaka H, Takahashi H, Okamura K. Energy Deficit Required for Rapid Weight Loss in Elite Collegiate Wrestlers. Nutrients, 10(5): 536, 2018.
– reference: Reale R, Slater G, Burke LM. Individualised dietary strategies for Olympic combat sports: Acute weight loss, recovery and competition nutrition. Eur J Sport Sci, 17(6): 727-740, 2017.
– reference: Oppliger RA, Steen SA, Scott JR. Weight loss practices of college wrestlers. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 13(1): 29-46, 2003.
– reference: Burke LM, Kiens B, Ivy JL. Carbohydrates and fat for training and recovery. J Sports Sci, 22(1): 15-30, 2004.
– reference: Mountjoy M, Sundgot-Borgen JK, Burke LM, Ackerman KE, Blauwet C, Constantini N, Lebrun C, Lundy B, Melin AK, Meyer NL, Sherman RT, Tenforde AS, Klungland Torstveit M, Budgett R. IOC consensus statement on relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) : 2018 update. Br J Sports Med, 52(11): 687-697, 2018.
– reference: Rogacz S, Williams GH, Hollenberg NK. Time course of enhanced adrenal responsiveness to angiotensin on a low salt diet. Hypertension, 15(4): 376-380, 1990.
– reference: Khodaee M, Olewinski L, Shadgan B, Kiningham RR. Rapid Weight Loss in Sports with Weight Classes. Curr Sports Med Rep, 14(6): 435-441, 2015.
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SubjectTerms dehydration
rapid weight loss
weight class
weight loss methods
wrestling
Subtitle a questionnaire-based study of the 2016 Japanese Wrestling Championship
Title Prevalence, methods of rapid weight loss amongst elite Japanese wrestlers
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