This scoping review aimed to determine the somatotype of modern elite athletes across various sports. The literature search followed the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. Four databases were consulted, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Clarivate InCites, as well as platforms such as Google Scholar, Taylor & Francis Online, Books Ovid, CAB eBooks, MyiLibrary, and Core Collection. Eligibility criteria included articles published between 1995 and 2024 involving athletes at the elite level, such as junior, senior, Olympic, first-division professionals, world-class competitors, national competitors, black belts, master athletes, non-professional athletes with at least 10 years of experience, those ranked in the national or international top 10, and high-level collegiate athletes. A total of 66 studies were included. Modern male elite athletes predominantly exhibited an endomorphic mesomorphic somatotype, whereas female athletes were classified as central. The present study was the first to synthesize data from 66 articles, encompassing athletes of varying elite levels, both males and females, while providing detailed information on age, weight, height, BMI, somatotype and its classification, and complemented by somatoplot references. Future research is recommended to include a greater diversity of sports and a more significant number of elite female athletes to enhance the representativeness of elite athletes.

Background: Body physique refers to body size, structure, and composition. PS is used to describe the profile of athletes in different sports. Aims: To determine body physique and body fat percentage in elite athletes using the Hattori chart and to identify the elite zone. Methods: Scoping review. The search was performed in PubMed, Google Scholar, Ovid Books, CAB eBooks, Clarivate InCites, MyiLibrary, Web of Science, Taylor & Francis Online, Core Collection, and Scopus. The search strategy was “body physique” OR “anthropometric” OR “body composition” AND “elite athlete” OR “athlete” OR “elite”. Results: Using indirect methods, elite athletes showed intermediate solid body physique (male) and lean intermediate body physique (female), and 13.6% ± 3.6% (male) and 22.3% ± 2.8 (female) body fat. Using doubly indirect methods, elite athletes showed lean intermediate body physique (male), and intermediate body physique (female), and a percentage of body fat of 13.7% ± 5.2% (male) and of 21.7% ± 4.3% (female) of body fat. Conclusions: Hattori’s chart facilitates the visualization of changes in body mass index, fat-free mass index, fat mass index, and percentage of body fat, helping personalize training, monitor composition changes, and guide nutrition programs to optimize performance and health.

Background: In Mexico, research on somatotypes in athletes has primarily focused on team sports, taekwondo, climbing, and triathlon. However, the available evidence remains limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the somatotype of Mexican athletes by sex, and to compare somatotype and body composition across sport macro-categories in 43 disciplines. Methods: Anthropometric measurements were conducted according to the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) protocol. Athletes who participated in regional, national, or international competitions between 2008 and 2024 were included. Results: A total of 889 Mexican athletes (477 males and 412 females) across 43 disciplines were evaluated. Among male athletes, the predominant somatotype was endomorphic mesomorph (52.4%), followed by balanced mesomorph (17.6%) and ectomorphic mesomorph (13.6%). Among female athletes, the most reported somatotypes were endomorphic mesomorph (24.5%), mesomorphic endomorph (24.0%), and mesomorph-endomorph (21.4%). Athletes in endurance sports showed significant differences for both sexes compared to those in power and skill-based sports for both sexes (p < 0.05). Among males, team sports showed the highest values for body mass, height, and body fat percentage (%BF), while mesomorphy was greatest in track and field and ectomorphy in sprint events. Among females, track and field athletes presented the highest values for body mass, height, %BF, mesomorphy, and endomorphy, whereas endurance athletes exhibited the highest ectomorphy values. Conclusions: The findings suggest that, compared to international athletes, Mexican athletes exhibited a higher endomorphic component. It is recommended that somatotype assessments should be incorporated into regular monitoring protocols at national sports centers and considered in physical training programs to optimize performance and reduce the risk of injury.

Obesity represents a major public health crisis in Mexico, affecting over 70% of adults, and although strength training is effective for improving body composition, direct maximal strength testing (1RM) poses risks in this population. Mobile applications have emerged as popular tools for exercise prescription, yet their effectiveness compared to supervised, scientifically-based protocols remains unknown. To compare the effects of a supervised strength training program based on indirect 1RM estimation (S1RM group) versus a mobile application-generated program (App group) on body composition, anthropometric measures, and strength gains in male adults with obesity. Twenty male participants (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) were randomly assigned to either the S1RM group or the App group. Both groups trained three times per week for 12 weeks. Body composition (bioelectrical impedance), anthropometric measures (waist and hip circumference), and estimated 1RM were assessed pre- and post-intervention. A mixed repeated-measures ANOVA (Group × Time) was conducted, with effect sizes (${\eta }^2$p) and 95% confidence intervals calculated. Both groups showed significant improvements in most outcomes (p < 0.05). However, significant group × time interactions favored the S1RM group for waist circumference (F(1,18) = 14.50, p = 0.001, ${\eta }^2$p = 0.45) and hip circumference (F(1,18) = 217.90, p < 0.001, ${\eta }^2$p = 0.92). A significant between-group difference was also observed for visceral fat (F(1,18) = 4.91, p = 0.040, ${\eta }^2$p = 0.21). For muscle and fat mass, interactions showed large effect sizes (${\eta }^2$p = 0.18–0.19) with trends toward significance (p = 0.057–0.096). Strength increased significantly in all exercises for the S1RM group (14.9–22.0%, p < 0.01). These findings support the implementation of indirect 1RM estimation methods in obesity populations and highlight the added value of professional supervision in strength training programs.