14 - The future of body composition research

Summary

Introduction

Interest in the study of human body composition spans at least a hundred years. The importance of body composition research as a distinct science is evident during at least two main periods during this century. The first period occurred immediately following World War II with the investigation of human semi-starvation and proceeded to early studies of body composition in disease. Many techniques for evaluating body composition were developed during this period, particularly tracer methods for quantifying specific components such as total-body water and fluid volumes. The excellent research during this period is summarised in the first body composition symposium of the Society for the Study of Human Biology held in 1963 and published in 1965 (Brozek, 1965).

The second major era in body composition research began during the mid-1980s with the recognition that many chronic and acute illnesses involved alterations in body composition, that these changes were linked with morbidity and mortality, and that nutritional treatments could affect patient outcome. Many body composition techniques were either introduced or fully appreciated during this era, which we are still in, including important new imaging, neutron activation analysis, and electrical body composition methods (Forbes, 1987).

What makes the present era unique is the recognition by some investigators that the study of body composition per se is a distinct area of human biology. There are now many investigators who spend the majority of their time studying various aspects of human body composition; many research reports are appearing in scientific journals; and there are research symposia at increasingly frequent intervals.