Study: H.S. Football Players Overweight

Iowa City West High School junior offensive lineman Eddie Franklin, 16, lifts weights during a physical education class at the school Monday, Jan. 22, 2007, in Iowa City, Iowa. A recent study conducted by Iowa State University found that nearly half of Iowa high school offensive and defensive lineman qualify as overweight and one in ten meet the medical standards for adult severe obesity. (AP Photo/Brian Ray) (Brian Ray - AP)

Researchers believe the study is one of the first _ and most comprehensive _ appraisals of obesity in high school football.

"We don't suspect, though, that Iowa is unique in any way," said Kelly Laurson, a graduate assistant and co-author of the study. "I suspect that states with an even richer high school football tradition, like Florida and Texas, may have an even bigger problem."

But the researchers and sports medicine experts acknowledge the study is not perfect.

The roster data was obtained in the preseason before athletes had a chance to get in shape, and the BMI formula can, in some cases, be deceptive, they said.

Dr. Edward Wojtys, an orthopedic surgeon and chief at the University of Michigan Sports Medicine Service, said the BMI fails to account for muscle mass and lean tissue and is less accurate than more sophisticated measuring techniques.

"On the other hand, there is still an obvious and growing problem of obesity among football linemen," Wojtys said. "The rules have changed in ways that favor larger and larger-sized bodies rather than smaller, athletic ones. It's not a good trend and one we should be concerned about."

Health experts also said the results are no surprise in a society dealing with high rates of child and adolescent obesity. Overweight children and teens face higher risks for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and weight problems through adulthood.

They said it's impossible to lay blame on any single source or factor.

"But I think if we're honest about it, at least in this case, we'd have to look at the role models for these young athletes," said Dr. George Phillips, a pediatrician at the University of Iowa's Sports Medicine Center.

"Most of these kids aren't going to play professionally or even at the college level. So what we need to do is to make sure if they're going to add weight, muscle mass, that they do it in a healthy way."