3D body shape scans for babies and young children
Quantifying body shape in pediatric clinical research
Using fast, high-resolution 3D cameras to measure body shape and body fat in children from birth to age 5 to help spot early obesity risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Hawaii at Manoa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Honolulu, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11093979 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your child is between birth and 5 years old, researchers will take quick 3D body scans and standard measurements to estimate body composition. The team will recruit about 360 children from diverse backgrounds and use the scans to build models that match optical measurements to a five-compartment body composition standard. The methods are tailored for very young children who may not hold still by using high-speed capture and adjustments for small size and fluid shifts. The project aims to create tools parents and doctors can use to visualize and track body shape changes linked to obesity risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children from birth through 5 years of age, across sexes and ethnic backgrounds, whose caregivers can bring them to the study site in Honolulu.
Not a fit: Children older than 5, adults, or families who cannot travel to the study location would not be eligible and would not receive direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give doctors better non-invasive tools to identify young children at higher risk for obesity-related health problems earlier.
How similar studies have performed: Similar 3D optical body-scanning methods have shown promise in adults and older children, but applying them to infants and toddlers is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Honolulu, United States
- University of Hawaii at Manoa — Honolulu, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shepherd, John Alan — University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Study coordinator: Shepherd, John Alan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.