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Infant body composition research revolutionised with new PEA POD® technology

25 January 2024 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Sonia Small

Prof Corinna Walsh says the PEA POD Infant Body Composition System works by directly measuring an infant’s body weight and volume, and then uses these measurements to calculate the body fat percentage, fat mass, and fat-free mass.

Nutritional and growth patterns during early life have been associated with health, development, and well-being throughout the life cycle. It is also associated with risks for developing obesity and non-communicable diseases, such as cardiometabolic diseases, later in life. These are the findings of Prof Corinna Walsh, Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Maternal and child health

”In line with national priorities, a strong research focus area of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is maternal and child health,” she says. She goes on to mention that the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics has established a reputable research programme. This programme focuses primarily on the nutritional status of pregnant women and how the early environment to which they are exposed during and after pregnancy affects short- and long-term health outcomes of the offspring.

“In our previous work, the assessment of birth outcomes of infants was, however, limited by the lack of equipment to analyse body composition. The research that we can conduct with the PEA POD® provides us with immense additional potential,” remarks Prof Walsh.

She explains, “The PEA POD Infant Body Composition System is an infant-sized air displacement plethysmography system. It works by directly measuring an infant’s body weight and volume, and then uses these measurements to calculate the body fat percentage, fat mass, and fat-free mass.

According to her, the assessment of body volume takes two minutes. “The PEA POD technique also does not require collection of any fluids and does not expose the infant to radiation. It can be performed as often as required without any risks and be used up to a maximum of 8-10 kg body weight, from birth to about eight months,” she says.

Advanced technology

In the context of research on infant body weight and composition, there is a need for accurate measurement techniques that can differentiate between fat mass and fat-free mass. Prof Walsh is of the opinion that traditional measures such as body mass index (BMI) and weight for length have limitations in this regard, as they do not provide a clear distinction between these components. Furthermore, BMI may not be reliable for assessing adiposity or obesity in paediatric populations, and it can vary significantly with age and gender.

Addressing these challenges, the PEA POD equipment offers advanced technology that allows for highly accurate quantification of infant body composition. This technological capability opens up opportunities to study the effects of early-life nutrition on growth and the developmental mechanisms that may lead to later comorbidities. So, when it comes to researching infant body weight and composition, the PEA POD equipment plays a crucial role in providing precise data and insights.

News Archive

UFS Safety Awareness March set to create a safe space for students

2017-07-27

The University of the Free State (UFS), in collaboration with various stakeholders, has dedicated the week of 24 to 28 July 2017 to creating awareness for the safety of students on and around its campuses.

UFS and CUT unite for safety
The highlight of the week will be on Thursday 27 July 2017 when a safety awareness march will take place from the Main Building on the Bloemfontein Campus to the Bram Fischer Building, where a memorandum will be handed over to Mr Sam Mashinini, MEC for Police, Roads, and Transport in the Free State. The march is a partnership between the UFS Student Representative Council (SRC) and the Central University of Technology (CUT).

During a meeting on 24 July 2017, the Executive Committee of Senate granted formal approval for students and staff of the Bloemfontein Campus to take part in the safety march on 27 July 2017. For this reason, all lectures will be suspended from 11:00 to 13:00 on 27 July 2017 in order to give the campus community the opportunity to participate in the march. Academic staff, as well as staff in the administrative support services, are encouraged to join the march.

Programme for the safety march:

11:00: Marchers gather in front of the Main Building

11:15: Marchers depart from the Main Building to the Main Gate

11:30: Marchers exit the Main Gate and move towards the Central University of Technology (CUT). Students and staff who are unable to participate in the rest of the march, return to their work places or classes.

12:20: UFS and CUT marchers will gather at the Bram Fischer Building, situated on the corner of Nelson Mandela Avenue and Markgraaff Street. Here, the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, Prof Francis Petersen, and the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of CUT, Prof Henk de Jager, will address the marchers, after which the memorandum will be read by the respective SRC Presidents and handed to Mr Mashinini.

Activities underway to raise safety awareness
During the week, the Student Representative Council (SRC), together with other stakeholders, have been involved in several activities on and off the Bloemfontein Campus, including door-to-door visits to student homes and residences on and around campus, awareness campaigns at all the gates of the campus, and a Safety Dialogue that will be held on Wednesday 26 July 2017 at the Equitas Auditorium. The aim of the Safety Week is to focus on informing, educating, and encouraging students as well as the Mangaung community at large, in order to work together in creating a safe environment for students.

The week started with the roll-out of an awareness campaign titled Reach Out, which is set to bring students and the community of Mangaung together to help decrease the number of violent crimes faced by students off campus. The communication plan includes safety messages, using outdoor billboards, posters on lampposts around the residential student areas, local community radio stations, campus media, and the university’s social media platforms.

A similar student safety awareness campaign will take place on the university’s Qwaqwa Campus during the week of 31 July 2017.

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