Methodology
The History of the development of BVI
Richard Barnes, Managing Director of Select Research
By the end of 1999 my company, Select Research, had already measured over 11,500 men, women and children in 3D sizing surveys for Next and M&S.
Media coverage of the sizing surveys we had undertaken for M&S highlighted that ‘obesity’ had become an increasing public health issue and although not an issue for clothing retailers, as a specialist in the 3D field, I wanted to explore what options there were for using 3D scanners to measure obesity in healthcare.
I authorised internal research to investigate the potential of 3D scanning technology with healthcare professionals and decided to research the concept with patients, General Practitioners and Hospital Doctors. The research commenced on the 11th of January 2000 and involved face to face interviews with respondents.
It became apparent from the research that manual measurements like the Body Mass Index (BMI) were being used almost out of an obligation to national and international guidelines rather than as a conscious or rational choice. The respondents were clear that BMI did not accurately measure an individual’s obesity or health risk and there was widespread consensus that the use of 3D scanners could add value and an extra dimension to objective obesity measurement in healthcare. Therefore, I explored what might be the best option to address the main issue; the measurements themselves.
I questioned whether the NHS could change from manual to automatic 3D measurement and if so, what might be the best and most simple means of measuring the body? 3D scanners also needed to provide an easy to understand measurement to compete with BMI – quick, simple to use and with the potential to reduce costs.
3D scanner software was contemplated to measure volume as opposed to linear measurement. Then part volumes of the body could be measured and compared, for example, the volume of the abdomen could be measured as a percentage of the whole body. If this could be achieved – this could be a key element to establishing health risk.
The idea for BVI was born but I needed a designation to describe both the link and the difference between the old BMI and the new, so I termed it the ‘Body Volume Index’. The abbreviation ‘BVI’ was a simple and effective comparison to BMI – the abbreviation for the Body Mass Index.
Development continued throughout 2000 and early 2001 but was then delayed when we were commissioned to do the M&S Bra Survey in 2000 and the National Sizing Survey in 2001 for the Department of Trade and Industry and UK retailers. However, as soon as these projects finished in 2004, we received a research grant from Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and started to gather some of the best scientists and researchers to make BVI a reality.
The Body Benchmark Study was launched on March 23rd 2007 and three years of strategic research to validate BVI commenced involving collaborators from the Midlands, other parts of the UK, Europe and the United States.
BVI needed to be capable of distinguishing between individual men, women and children with the same BMI, so that obesity for an individual is accurately described. I now know from the results of the Study that BVI can do that.
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