Podbod Helps Researchers Study Cancer

Researchers at Ohio State University’s College of Education and Human Ecology have partnered with COSI to study the effects of fitness on cancer in women, 10TV’s Andrea Cambern reported on Friday.

Carmen Swain, a professor of health and exercise science at Ohio State, said that she and other researchers are using a new device called the Podbod, an egg-shaped capsule, to study body composition.

“It tells us the percentage fat and percentage lean mass a person has,” Swain said. “And from this information, also combined with how physically active (a person is), we can give a prediction of the amount of calories a person should burn each day.”

Research subject Sherri Kirk said that she does not enjoy exercise but does like the fact that the research could help her avoid disease.

"This study is important because, hopefully, the numbers will help me be more active, motivate me to be more active,” Kirk said.

Kirk, who said that she has a family history of breast, endometrial and colon cancers, said she hopes that is the case.

As a research participant, she also has been tested for strength and flexibility.

"We know that if we can make women physically active, then their likelihood of having disease goes down,” Swain said. “There's been many studies that show this relationship. So what we're trying to do is change attitude, change behavior.”

Researchers said that they were still looking for woman to participate in the study. For more information, click here. 

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