The Body Volume Index (BVI) is a new medical application created to develop a new anthropometric benchmark for healthcare and obesity measurement. The BVI scanner is specifically designed to calculate risk factors associated with a person's shape, through analysis of weight and body fat distribution by body section.

BVI was created in January 2000 following research gleaned from projects scanning over 23,000 men, women and children using 3D body scanners. A second stage of research to define both the index and the applications of BVI commenced in March 2007 and is being undertaken by an international collaboration of healthcare professionals. (See www.bodybenchmark.org ).

The 3D scanners used to measure and calculate BVI are non-invasive, quick, safe to use and do not use radioactive means to obtain the body measurements.