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Cycling exercise efficiency and economy: Exploring the role of phase angle Cover

Cycling exercise efficiency and economy: Exploring the role of phase angle

Open Access
|Dec 2025

Figures & Tables

Independent-samples t-tests comparing EC, GE, and DE between high vs_ low PhA groups for whole-body and lower-body PhA, including means, standard deviations, 95% confidence intervals, t statistics with degrees of freedom, p-values, and Cohen's d_

Whole-body PhA
Group 1Group 295% CIt–Test two–tailedCohen's d
ECM = 11.36 SD =1.54M = 11.48 SD = 1.22CI [−1.26, 1.03]t (28) = −0.21 p>0.005d = −0.08 small
GEM = 12.39 SD = 1.49M = 12.47 SD = 1.58CI [−1.28, 1.12]t (28) = −0.14 p>0.005d = −0.05 small
DEM = 24.81 SD = 2.95M = 24.84 SD = 2.58CI [−2.27, 2.22]t (28) = −0.02 p>0.005d = −0.01 small
Lower-body PhA
Group 1Group 295% CIt–Test two–tailedCohen's d
ECM = 11.72 SD = 1.43M = 11.04 SD = 1.37CI [−0.38, 1.73]t (28) = 1.31 p>0.005d = 0.48 medium
GEM = 12.7 SD = 1.68M = 12.09 SD = 1.22CI [−0.51, 1.72]t (28) = 1.12 p>0.005d = 0.41 medium
DEM = 24.23 SD = 2.83M = 25.51 SD = 2.67CI [−3.34, 0.78]t (28) = −1.27 p>0.005d = −0.47 medium

Pearson's correlations between whole-body and lower-body PhA and performance indicators (EC, GE, DE), including correlation coefficients (r), p-values, and sample sizes (n)_

ECGEDE
Whole-body PhAr−0.138−0.3230.235
p-value0.4680.0810.212
n303030
Lower-body PhAr−0.149−0.2460.227
p-value0.4320.1900.228
n303030

Multivariable linear regression models examining the association between whole-body phase angle and cycling efficiency/economy outcomes_ Coefficients represent the independent contribution of each predictor to delta efficiency (DE), exercise economy (EC), and gross efficiency (GE) after adjustment for sex and fat-free mass (FFM)_ Unstandardized coefficients (B), standard errors (SE), standardized coefficients (β), and p-values are presented alongside the adjusted R2 for each model_

PredictorBSEBetapAdjusted R2
DESex2.472.270.450.2860.03
FFM0.150.10.640.1410.03
Whole–body PhA0.351.10.090.750.03
ECSex−1.571.19−0.560.197−0.01
FFM−0.070.05−0.580.186−0.01
Whole–body PhA−0.230.58−0.120.691−0.01
GESex−1.081.06−0.370.3150.27
FFM−0.120.05−0.980.0130.27
Whole–body PhA0.280.510.140.590.27

Body composition and bioelectrical characteristics of participants classified into low and high phase-angle groups_ Values are presented as mean, standard deviation (SD), and range (minimum–maximum) for each parameter_

PhA Group (Low) n = 20PhA Group (High) n = 10
MeanSDRangeMinMaxMeanSDRangeMinMax
Body composition parameters
FFM (kg)48.310.932.533.065.554.513.234.239.173.3
FM (%)27.911.839.87.146.925.411.734.38.642.9
SMM (kg)26.76.619.617.637.230.68.020.521.441.9
ECW (L)15.73.211.211.422.616.94.512.412.024.4
ICW (L)21.56.622.713.135.824.78.924.714.439.1
ECW/ICW0.80.10.20.60.90.70.10.20.60.8
FFM_legs (kg)14.93.49.79.619.316.74.411.411.322.7
FM_legs (%)28.111.437.98.646.525.410.531.19.740.8
Bioelectrical parameters
Xc/H (Ohm/m)38.46.020.929.850.740.67.225.629.955.5
R/H (Ohm/m)410.392.5288.3278.2566.5374.980.0220.4280.6501.0
Whole-body PhA (degree)5.40.62.24.16.36.30.51.45.56.9
Lower-body PhA (degree)6.00.62.34.97.26.90.61.85.97.7
Language: English
Page range: 129 - 134
Submitted on: Oct 23, 2025
Published on: Dec 12, 2025
Published by: University of Oslo
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2025 Elie-Jacques Fares, Sarah Zaki, Jean Abi Saab, published by University of Oslo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.