The Fels study has gathered at least some data on more than 4,500 people, including some people four generations removed from the first participants. The rest have scattered to 43 other states. Today, the Fels project involves eight faculty researchers and 20 support staff members. With a healthy budget and 80 percent of its original participants still alive, in many ways, the Fels study is just getting started, said study director Dr. Roger Siervogel. Children get the most frequent testing, every three months until they reach 18 months, then twice a year until they reach 18.
Adults come in every five years.
Like the Hill family, the Chatfields also have participated across three generations. My grandmother, who lived in Yellow Springs, happened to be pregnant when the study started. I grew up doing it. It was fun. A full visit takes about half a day, during which a person gets the most thorough measurement of body composition science can offer.