November 12, 2019—Styku, the pioneering 3D body scanner, has recently performed its one-millionth scan—showing that 3D body scanning is quickly gaining momentum as a non-invasive and highly accessible way to assess ongoing health.
Besides measuring hundreds of data points across the body (waist, hip, etc.), 3D body scanning has made it easier for professionals to quantify abdominal cross-sectional areas and volumes, which are meaningful predictors of diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk, and changes in body composition (e.g. in response to dietary and/or exercise interventions). This was the conclusion of a 3,975-participant study published in the Clinical Nutrition Journal.
It’s believed that 3.8 million people in the UK are living with diabetes and it’s estimated that approximately 90% of these cases are Type 2, which means it is largely preventable or manageable by lifestyle changes such as regular physical activity and following a healthy eating plan. Styku has the potential to significantly help and support the assault on preventable illnesses.
Additionally, a study published in the JMIR Serious Games journal, which investigated avatar-based technology for improving body perceptions among adolescents, found that 88% of adolescents thought positively about being able to view avatars (3D images) of themselves. It also found that “visually rich 3D representations that accurately portray how bodies appear may have a greater impact on adolescent behaviour than a number on a scale or BMI percentage.”
Tracy Morrell, Sales Director for Styku Europe, commented: "We believe in 3D body scanning as a preventative tool to help decrease health risks. The most recent study released by the Office for National Statistics shows that approximately 23% of all deaths in the UK were considered avoidable, which means they could have been prevented through good quality healthcare or public health interventions in the broadest sense. The key to preventative care is building awareness and changing behaviour; something that was highlighted in a big way at this year’s ukactive National Summit."
3D visuals help describe key body composition changes, which can be difficult to communicate (from a professional’s perspective) and understand (from a user’s perspective) with other devices. As a result, 3D body scanning is replacing traditional and BIA scales in multiple fields, including physical therapy, nutrition, recovery, professional sports, aesthetics, plastic surgery, obesity medicine and fitness. Over 15 different sectors, across 30 different countries, are now using Styku, spanning retail, healthcare and wellness. Additionally, Styku is helping professionals perform assessments more than 1500 times a day; a figure that’s growing rapidly.
Tracy continued: "Empowering people to better understand their current health levels and set relevant goals to improve their health and prevent future complications begins on an individual level with a health assessment. But low-cost scales, measuring tapes and callipers don't draw the crowds and don't appeal to data-driven, tech-savvy Millennials either. Medical assessments are either expensive, difficult to access or too complicated for the user to understand in a meaningful way. Assessments need to be frictionless, precise and consistent, while being high-tech and simple for people to interpret. At the moment, there’s much discussion about how tech can genuinely add value to a user’s experience, which is a big gap that Styku is filling."
In line with what we’re seeing globally, 3D body scanning is quickly gaining traction in the UK. The number of facilities adding this technology to their offering is increasing all the time, with 2020 set to see a further rise. From independent gyms, such as URBANFITNESS London, to some of the most exclusive health and wellbeing clubs, including those at Grantley Hall and Lanserhof at The Arts Club, through to well-established, multi-site operators, like West Wood in Ireland, it's clear that 3D body scanning has a wide appeal—ranging from the traditional health club sector through to spas and the primary health care sector.
With "Outcome Measurements" being listed in the American College of Sports Medicine's top 20 worldwide fitness trends for 2020, and measurements being seen as "necessary to determine the benefits of health and fitness programs in disease management and to document success in changing negative lifestyle habits," 3D body scanning is set to become even more visible across the industry in the years to come as an important tracking tool for looking after your members’ health and an essential part of your ongoing member journey—leading to greater accountability for both members and trainers.
If you're interested in finding out more about the power and benefits of 3D body scanning, visit the Styku website.
About Styku
Styku is body scanning technology that maps the shape, composition, and health of the physical body using the latest in computer vision and artificial intelligence. With over 600,000 users worldwide, Styku assists in performing an assessment for a member every 30 seconds somewhere in the world, via a wide and fast-growing network of 1200+ active installations in more than three dozen countries. Styku's intuitive, multi-platform software gives professionals the ability to perform a full-body scan, view 3D models, extract body circumferences, predict body composition, estimate health risks, track changes in body shape, set fitness goals, and much more. For further information, visit the Styku website.