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Updated: May 2, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advancements in 3D Optical Imaging for Comprehensive Body Composition Assessment in Modern Research
Published on: June 7, 2024
Volumetric differences in body shape among adults with differing body mass index values: An analysis using
Nathan Daniell1, Tim Olds, Grant Tomkinson
1Health and Use of Time (HUT) Group, Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia.
Objectives:
This study quantified differences in body shape of people differing in body mass index (BMI), using three-dimensional (3D) scan-extracted segmental body volumes.
Methods:
Eight segmental volumes were measured on 340 young adults (169 males and 171 females) aged 18-30 years, using the Vitus Smart 3D whole body scanner. Body volumes were also expressed as a ratio of the sex-specific mean volume (segmental or whole body) and compared to BMI using simple linear regression, multiple-segment-linear regression and Lowess curves.
Results:
While all segmental volumes increased significantly as BMI increased, the BMI-related patterns of increase varied among different body segments. For example, pelvis and abdomen volumes increased at a significantly greater rate than whole body volume, with the rates of increase greatest in the overweight and obese.
Conclusions:
Body shape changes due to variations in body volume could have important implications in a range of fields that currently use 1D anthropometric measurements that do not capture body shape differences in the same detail.
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