Special populations include a variety of different conditions, including Down Syndrome, Autism, and Marfan`s Syndrome to name a few. Some conditions may have similar changes in Fat Mass (FM) and Fat Free Mass (FFM), while others have varying differences. PURPOSE: Due to this wide range of varying body compositions within these special populations, in this study, we want to see just how much influence body fat percentage (BF%) may play in physical fitness performance. METHODS: Eleven (11) participants with various intellectual/physical disabilities completed a battery of tests to assess their physical fitness. The tests comprised of an Inbody Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) to calculate body fat percentage BF%, FM & FFM. A vertical jump test (Jump Mat) to assess leg power (LP), a T-test for agility, and a mile run for aerobic endurance. RESULTS: Spearman`s rank-order correlations were conducted to examine relationships between body fat percentage BF% and performance variables. There was a very strong, negative correlation between BF% and LP height, rs = -0.855, p < .002, 95% CI [-0.966, -0.470], indicating higher body fat was associated with lower jump height. A strong, positive correlation showed between BF% and mile time, rs = 0.664, p = .026, 95% CI [0.086, 0.907], indicating higher BF% was associated with slower mile times. A strong, positive correlation showed between BF% and T-test performance, rs = 0.636, p = .035, 95% CI [0.039, 0.899], indicating that higher BF% associated with slower T-test times. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate a clear inverse relationship between BF% and performance in the T-test, one-mile run, and LP. As BF% increases, we observe decreased performances in agility, endurance, and jump height. Since basketball demands high levels of mobility, endurance, and vertical power, these findings are critical. Therefore, interventions aimed at reducing BF% could be a key strategy for enhancing the on-court performance and overall athletic ability of this population. These findings should be interpreted cautiously due to sample size; however, the magnitude and consistency of effects suggest meaningful practical relevance.
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