You may be what you eat, but not how you smell.

Scientists at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia say new research suggests a person's underlying odor — our distinct individual aroma — remains intact and detectable even with major changes in diet.

“The findings using this animal model support the proposition that body odors provide a consistent 'odorprint' analogous to a fingerprint or DNA sample,” Gary Beauchamp, a Monell behavioral biologist.

Mammals from mice to humans are known to produce unique genetically determined body odors, which are thought to help distinguish individuals from one another. Some foods, such as garlic, can influence body odor if eaten in large amounts.

But in behavioral tests at Monell, special “sensor” mice were trained to use their sense of smell to seek a certain “odortype” among other mice, who represented different genetic types and diets. Invariably, the sensor mice sniffed out their targets.

“If this can be shown to be the case for humans,” said Jae Kwak, one of the study authors, “it opens the possibility that devices can be developed to detect individual odorprints in humans.”

Similar approaches are being used to investigate body-odor differences associated with disease, with an eye, uh, nose toward developing early detection electronic sensors.

BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

One out of every 2,000 newborns sports a tooth at birth.

GET ME THAT. STAT!

According to an 11-year study of 32,269 postmenopausal American women, vigorous activity can reduce the risk of breast cancer by about 30 percent in normal-weight women.

NUMBER CRUNCHER

A single corn dog (175 grams) contains 460 calories, 170 from fat. That's 29 percent of the recommended total fat intake for a 2,000-calorie daily diet.

It also contains 79 milligrams of cholesterol (26 percent); 973 mg of sodium (41 percent); 55.8 grams of total carbohydrates (19 percent) and 16.8 grams of protein.

MEDTRONICA

Right Health

righthealth.com

A broad-interest site, which covers everything from ADHD to weight loss, links to breaking medical news, health advice and more. Not very in-depth, but has some good stuff if you go looking for it.

STORIES FOR THE WAITING ROOM

In the 18th century, gentlemen used cork pads called plumpers to fill out the hollows in their cheeks created by the loss of rotten teeth.

PHOBIA OF THE WEEK

Ephebiphobia — fear of teenagers

OBSERVATION

The trouble with life in the fast lane is that you get to the other end in an awful hurry.

— American humorist John Jensen

LAST WORDS

I am a queen, but I have not the power to move my arms.

— Louise, Queen of Prussia (1776-1810)

To find out more about Scott Lafee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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