Dieting device that tells you if you are eating too quickly
Wednesday 6th January 2010
This latest dieting device to take the media by storm is the Mandometer developed by scientists in Stockholm of the Karolinska Institute. The device acts like a set of portable scales that not only weighs the portion size but also the speed at which that portion is consumed. Whilst the Mandometer was first developed to help not only dieters but people suffering from bulimia who tend to eat too quickly; it is now hoped that the device could help in the battle against childhood obesity.
Researchers at the University of Bristol have thus tried and tested to see if the device could be used in the treatment of childhood obesity, testing 106 obese children from the ages of 9 to 17 years. The results, as published in the British Medical Journal show that throughout the duration of a year the children began to lose 4-6 pounds on average, whilst they were still growing. During the time the user is eating, the Mandometer plots a graph at the rate you are eating compared to the idealist rate as proposed by a nutritionist. It is believed that the device helped the children realise the speed at which they were eating, and by slowing their consumption rate they felt fuller sooner and therefore their portion sizes decreased by almost a seventh.
Not only did the device show benefits throughout the time the Mandometer was used, but six months after they stopped using the device the results were still maintained. Therefore, the Mandometer could have a long-term effect on the child’s eating habits almost training them into a healthy eating speed and portion size. The children are also encouraged to exercise for an hour a day and eat a balanced diet. With the growing epidemic of obesity in the UK and many failed attempts to encourage healthy eating, let’s hope the Mandometer offers an easy solution to both parents and children.
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