2007 Spring Seed Funding Competition : Project Profile

Human Body Composition, Health & Fitness

Lead Investigator:

David Chettle, Department of Medical Physics & Applied Radiation Science

Team:

Stuart Phillips, Department of Kinesiology

Mark Tarnopolsky, Department of Medicine

Stephanie Atkinson, Department of Pediatrics

The proportion of four major components of the human body (protein, water, fat, mineral) is vital for health. This applies across the age span, from the development of the infant, through ensuring the fitness of the adult to the continuing healthy activity of the older person. This Collaborations for Health initiative brings together measurement specialists, who can determine the different components, with researchers in Pediatrics, Kinesiology, Medicine and Oncology, all of whom will use the body composition information to further their understanding of both fitness and disease at these different life stages. As this collaboration matures, new insights will grow across the disciplines.