John Shepherd, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, is currently using Naked Labs’ device – among other body scanners – to research body shape and its relationship to overall health. One example he pointed to is the prototypical “beer belly” which shows fat being stored in the abdomen and means increased risk for cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
Shepherd is part of an NIH-funded study called Shape Up!, which involves scanning 1,500 people from the age of 5 to 85 across a variety of ethnic backgrounds. He said he sees the potential first-hand of using tools like Naked’s body scanner to help with compliance to certain care and health plans.
“I’m like anyone else, when I look at myself in the mirror I tend to imagine myself differently than I am, but with these scans you do see exactly who you are, you’re faced with your humanity from all angles,” said Shepherd said.