An examination of the heights and weights of members of the Parade Magazine's High School All-American Football Teams from 1963–1971 indicates no significant changes in the Body Mass Index of these elite athletes whereas an increased pattern in Body Mass Index was noted within this group from 1972–1989. The large increases in Body Mass Index after 1971 among the All-American high school football players raise interesting research questions; in particular, what portion of these gains can be attributed to improved nutrition and training techniques and what portion is the result of use of performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids?
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