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25 January 2024 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Sonia Small
Prof Corinna Walsh
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

Small things matter
2017-01-17

 Description: Prof Felicity Burt  Tags: Prof Felicity Burt

Prof Felicity Burt (right) and Dr Dominique Goedhals
from the Department of Medical Microbiology and
Virology at the University of the Free State.
Photo: Anja Aucamp



The newly established virology section at the University of the Free State (UFS) boasts world class expertise. Not only are they one of just five laboratories in the country tasked with specialised HIV testing, but current research generates publications and subsidised funding.

The driving force behind this initiative is passionate and dedicated people who invest long hours into vital research. One such person is Prof Felicity Burt, who eloquently guides her students while making impressive progress within her own field of interest: vector-borne and zoonotic diseases. Prof Burt was recently awarded a research chair (2016-2020) to, among other areas, investigate medically significant vector-borne and zoonotic viruses currently circulating.

That means that her research focus is mainly on viruses transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks, and viruses transmitted from animals to humans. “Yes,” she laughs, “I catch mosquitoes and check them for viruses.”

Becoming familiar with different viruses
As if big screen moments like Outbreak and Contagion did not create enough virus paranoia, the world was recently bombarded by real world Ebola and Zika outbreaks. But awareness, Prof Burt says, is not a bad thing. “Years ago, when people heard that I did Ebola research, they got that distant look in their eyes, and changed the subject. One outbreak later, backed by many media reports, and Ebola is almost a household name. The same goes for the recent Zika virus outbreak in South America.”

The more familiar people become with these types of viruses, the better, Prof Burt feels. However, getting the right message across is not always that easy. The Zika virus outbreak, for example, was a very large outbreak and therefore presented large numbers of affected people. Generally, not everyone infected with an arbovirus will necessarily present with symptoms. But because vector-borne viruses can spread to new areas, surveillance and awareness is important. Here in Bloemfontein, Prof Burt and her team are establishing surveillance programmes.

Gaining knowledge and preventative measures
So, next time you get all wound up about a “biological disaster”, rest assured that competent people like Prof Burt and her colleagues continuously scan the environment to gain knowledge and develop preventive measures should any risks be looming. For example, developing next-generation vaccines that are very effective, but without risk – since they are not built on the virus itself, but only on the part of the virus that will induce an immune response.

Currently, Prof Burt is also looking into the relationship between the Sindbis virus and arthritis. It is clear that we can expect many exciting findings from the UFS’s new virology unit.

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