Research Firm Plays Key Role in New Obesity Measure

Birmingham, UK-based Select Research has launched the initial phase of a study which it hopes will lead to the creation of a new computer-based system for measuring obesity. The system is designed to improve on Body Mass Index (BMI) which doctors have used since 1830.

Body Mass Index (BMI) compares a patient's height with their weight, but can mistakenly deem someone with lots of muscle as being overweight. The firm believes that the new system, known as the Body Volume Index (BVI), will replace BMI as it more accurately measures part body composition and shape and not just whole body mass, and can also take into account age, gender and ethnicity data.

Richard Barnes, MD of Select Research says the Body Benchmark programme has already involved two years of qual/quant research among medical professionals. In the next few months there are qual groups and interviews planned with doctors and patients. These will be followed by a large quant study of more than 20,000 volunteers to collect data on body composition and shape variances, and finally a two-year analysis to create and determine a value for BVI.

Barnes commented: 'Through our Size UK study – commissioned by the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) in 2001 – we were able to reappraise and solve the problem of a retail industry reliant on outdated data to size clothes. We are adopting the same approach through Body Benchmark to help create a new anthropometric measurement for the healthcare profession. We aim to use 21st century technology to reappraise body measurement and to give patients the accuracy their health deserves.'

The project will be headed by Select Research in collaboration with a number of UK, European and US health professionals including the British Dietetic Association. The company is online at www.selectresearch.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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