Syndey, Nov 18: A new Bod Pod will accurately measure fat and muscle mass with the potential to boost research on obesity and athletic performance.

The space capsule-like pod is part of a new suite of high-tech equipment at the Massey University`s new Human Nutrition Research Centre in Albany, including a bone density scanner and clinical lab.

The pod measures and tracks body fat and lean muscle mass using air displacement technology - replacing the tape measure and callipers or water displacement tanks previously used in research.

Welma Stonehouse, associate professor at Massey, said the Bod Pod is a highly useful analytical tool for research related to obesity, as well as for elite athletes who need to closely monitor muscle and fat ratios.

"The Bod Pod gives a very accurate reading for body composition because it measures weight and volume," she said.

"Because fat weighs less than muscle, it can be difficult to gain a precise estimate of how much fat an individual is made of and this can lead to false interpretations of what it means to be overweight," she said.

IANS