Characteristics of Performance in Collegiate Cheerleaders and Dancers

July 1, 2026 updated by: Michael J. Ormsbee, Florida State University

Body Composition and Characteristics of Performance in Collegiate Cheerleaders and Dancers

This study aims to investigate performance differences between collegiate cheerleaders and dancers classified as normal weight obese and those classified as normal weight lean. The study will assess differences in physical performance, lifestyle behaviors, muscle quality, and nutrition-related factors between groups. Performance testing, body composition assessment, and questionnaire-based measures will be used to characterize these relationships.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Withdrawn

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

This study focuses on understanding body composition-related differences in performance among collegiate cheerleaders and dancers, a population that relies heavily on strength, power, and aesthetic presentation for successful performance. Obesity is commonly classified using body mass index (BMI); however, BMI may fail to identify individuals with excess adiposity, particularly in athletic populations. One such classification is normal-weight obesity, which describes individuals with a normal BMI but elevated body fat percentage and increased risk for impaired muscle function and reduced physical performance. Aesthetic athletes, including cheerleaders and dancers, may be particularly susceptible to this condition due to sport-specific performance demands and body composition expectations. This study aims to determine whether performance outcomes differ between normal weight obese and normal weight lean cheerleaders and dancers, with specific focus on measures of power, strength, and muscle quality. In addition, the study examines differences in lifestyle behaviors, compositional and functional muscle characteristics of the upper leg, and nutrition-related factors between groups. By integrating body composition assessment, physical performance testing, and questionnaire-based measures, this study seeks to better characterize normal-weight obesity in this population. Ultimately, the findings may help clarify how body composition and lifestyle factors relate to performance in collegiate cheer and dance athletes.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Hannah Eberhardt
  • Phone Number: 8648879769
  • Email: he24a@fsu.edu

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Michael J Ormsbee

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Florida
      • Tallahassee, Florida, United States, 32301
        • Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine (ISSM)

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Current members of the Florida State University Cheer and Dance teams

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Must be a part of either the Florida State University dance or cheer team
  • Sex: Female
  • Age: 18-30
  • BMI: Normal (18.5 - 24.9 kg/m2)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Not biologically female
  • Have a diagnosed and unresolved eating disorder
  • Not weight stable (defined as a gain/loss of more than ~7.7 lbs in the past 2 months)
  • Participants who are pregnant or who become pregnant during the study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Division I Collegiate Cheerleaders and Dancers
Normal weight obese or normal weight lean

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Energy Availability (kcals/kg FFM)
Time Frame: 7 days
Energy availability will be assess by subtracting exercise energy expenditure from energy intake relative to fat free mass. This will be assessed daily for 7 continuous days.
7 days
Physical Fitness
Time Frame: Day of study enrollment
Physical fitness will be assessed via maximal jump height (in inches) using a double leg (and single leg counter movement jump and a maximal isokinetic leg extension and leg curl (expressed in kgs).
Day of study enrollment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Subjective Sleep
Time Frame: Day of study enrollment
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) will be used to assess subjective sleep quality, while the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (ASBQ) will be used to assess subjective sleep behavior. A score of >42 on the ASBQ indicates poor sleep behavior. A score >5 on the PSQI indicates poor sleep quality.
Day of study enrollment
Body Composition
Time Frame: Day of study enrollment
Body Composition will be assessed via Air Displacement Plethysmography on the first day of study enrollment.
Day of study enrollment
Muscle Quality - Echo Intensity
Time Frame: Day of study enrollment
Ultrasound echo intensity will be used to assess intramuscular fat.
Day of study enrollment
Nutrition Knowledge
Time Frame: Day of study enrollment
Knowledge of nutrition based on the Abbreviated Nutrition for Sports Knowledge Questionnaire (ANSKQ). The maximum score is 100%. The minimum score is 0%. Higher scores indicate better nutrition knowledge.
Day of study enrollment
Muscle Quality - Muscle Thickness
Time Frame: day of study enrollment
Muscle thickness of the rectus femoris will be assessed via ultrasound
day of study enrollment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Florida State University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 3, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 1, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 14, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 28, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 1, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • CDNWO00006460

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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