REAL BODY aims to transform how obesity is measured, diagnosed, and treated—shifting focus from outdated metrics like BMI to a holistic understanding of body composition
Obesity remains a global health crisis, affecting hundreds of millions and costing healthcare systems immense resources each year. While clinicians and researchers have long relied on weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) as primary obesity markers, these metrics oversimplify a complex disease rooted in excess or abnormal fat accumulation. The REAL BODY project, led by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), presents an opportunity to revolutionize our approach to obesity diagnostics by shifting the focus from weight to true body composition—and Prism Labs is proud to play a key role in this transformation. This groundbreaking initiative brings together pharmaceutical companies, technology firms, and academic institutions to transform how obesity is measured and diagnosed in both clinical practice and drug development. REAL BODY is supported by Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Noom, Inc., Novo Nordisk A/S, and Pfizer Inc., with donated services from Standard BioTools and General Metabolics in the form of proteomic and metabolomic analyses respectively. Research partners include Texas Tech University, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Current tools like BMI and total weight are deeply flawed. BMI does not distinguish between fat, muscle, bone, or water, and offers little insight into whether weight changes reflect improvements in health. Two individuals with identical BMIs can have dramatically different body compositions and metabolic risks. Meanwhile, visceral fat (the dangerous fat surrounding internal organs), total fat mass, and lean muscle mass are increasingly recognized as critical indicators for metabolic disease risk, drug efficacy, and patient outcomes. Studies have shown that lean mass is a top three predictor of metabolic health, along with cholesterol and VO2 Max.
Clinical trial data and expert consensus are converging on the urgent need for transformative solutions. The FDA’s Draft Guidance on Developing Drugs and Biological Products for Weight Reduction, as well as global commissions like Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, now recommend going beyond BMI and emphasizing accurate body composition tracking.
The FNIH’s REAL BODY project is designed to develop scalable and affordable tools for accurately measuring total fat mass, lean muscle mass, and visceral fat. This groundbreaking study unites leading academic centers, technology innovators, and clinical research teams to validate the precision and reliability of accessible body composition measurement technologies. Advanced methods like MRI and DXA have historically set the gold standard—but these tools are costly, time-consuming, and out of reach for many patients and front-line clinicians.
The REAL BODY study will directly assess the accuracy and repeatability of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and three-dimensional optical scanning (3DO) in comparison with DXA and MRI. By providing robust, multi-center validation data, FNIH aims to establish body composition as a practical, regulatory-grade metric for clinical care, drug development, and public health screening.
Prism Labs is honored to be selected as a technology partner and supplier for the REAL BODY initiative. As a pioneer in mobile 3D optical body scanning, Prism Labs’ platform converts standard smartphone cameras into diagnostic-grade body composition analyzers powered by advanced AI and computer vision. Users only need a smartphone to receive detailed breakdowns of body fat, lean muscle, and visceral fat, complete with a personalized health report. No medical facility, special equipment, or costly imaging is required.
Recent independent studies confirm that Prism Labs’ mobile 3DO platform matches DXA-grade accuracy for many key metrics, providing clinicians and researchers with a reliable alternative for large-scale studies and day-to-day patient care. By participating in the REAL BODY study, Prism Labs will supply scanning technology, assist in comparative analysis, and help drive the development of standardized protocols for clinical adoption.
By validating modern 3D optical and impedance technologies against gold-standard imaging, the REAL BODY project aims to:
This is especially relevant in 2025, as new obesity medications enter the market, telemedicine expands, and patient-driven health tech plays a growing role in long-term care.
Prism Labs believes that every patient can have access to precision health insights, regardless of their location or circumstance. Mobile 3D scanning enables continuous, real-world monitoring, unlocking data that goes far beyond the scale or a single annual appointment. As our team collaborates with FNIH, academic centers, and other innovators, we’re focused on:
Ultimately, our goal is to help bring about a new era of obesity and fitness diagnostics—one that empowers both patients and healthcare professionals with accurate, actionable information.
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