Future of dieting includes 'smart trolleys, hi-tech fridges and intelligent food tags'
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In the future, tracking calories and losing weight will be as simple as telling the time.
That's according to an industry expert Tim Vreynhoef who has detailed his predictions for the future of dieting.
Building on the rising trends of fitness and weight-loss technology, Vreynhoef predicts that smartwatches will soon track calories, smart mirrors will reveal how you'll look at your target weight, and shopping trolleys flag unhealthy items.
Nutrition expert Tim Vreynhoef has detailed his predictions for the future of dieting. They include a diet watch that tracks calories, and radio frequency ID tags on food that reveal nutritional data in fridges and cupboards (pictured) on a diet app
Dubbed the Diet Watch, Vreynhoef, managing director of dieting technology company NutraTech, believes that future models of smartwatches, including Apple's much-rumoured device, will automatically track calories throughout the day.
By looking at their wrist, dieters will see their remaining calorie target for the day and keep up-to-date with their weight loss goal.
These watches could also send motivational messages at the key times of day, when wearers are most likely to snack. Plus, a built-in camera could scan barcodes on food.
There are already products that perform similar tasks, including the MyFitnessPal app that syncs with the Withings Pulse O2 device.
The watch shows the time, steps taken, calories burnt and heart rate.
THE FUTURE OF DIETING TECHNOLOGY
Dubbed the Diet Watch, Vreynhoef believes that future models of smartwatch, including Apple¿s much-rumoured device (concept image pictured) could automatically track calories throughout the day
The diet watch
A smartwatch, which could include Apple's much-rumoured device, that reveals your remaining calorie targets for the day and sends motivational messages to help you lose weight.
The Google Glass scanner
Google Glass could prove the perfect dieters tool. With a built-in barcode scanner to capture the barcode of the food item you are purchasing or about to consume, your calorie intake will be automatically tracked throughout the day.
Radio Frequency ID calorie counter and fridge and cupboard analyser
RFID tags fitted to food would reveal the total calorie content of meals, while an antenna on a connected fridge and cupboard could show how many calories are contained – to help you make the best choices.
Augmented reality restaurant menus
Making the best choice when eating out will become easier when you can hold your phone camera over a restaurant menu and your phone will 'virtually' overlay all the nutrition data for the dishes on the screen.
Smart bathroom mirror
This full length mirror with a screen behind could show your current shape, and at the press of a button, reveal what you'll look like at your goal weight. It could also provide data and statistics showing how many calories you would need to stick to attain your desired body shape.
Supermarket shopping trolleys with nutrition assistant
In the supermarket of the future, trolley fitted with barcode scanners and RFID tags could calculate the overall calorie, fat and sugar content of your purchases as you shop. It could also be set to alert you to poor, or unhealthy choices.
MyFitnessPal has a built-in barcode scanner that counts calories, fat, sugar, carbohydrates and protein in food, and adjusts targets based on the activity from the Withings Pulse O2,and any other connected devices.
Similarly, Adidas' Fitsmart tracker is unique because it measures heart rate response to physical activity and then guides the user train at the right intensity for the best results, including weight loss.
Continuing with barcode scanners, Vreynhoef said Google Glass could prove the perfect dieters tool, to capture codes and track calorie intake.
It could even calorie check recipes as wearers read cook books, by recognising the description in the ingredient list using optical character recognition.
There are already products that perform similar tasks, including the MyFitnessPal app that syncs with the Withings Pulse O2 device (pictured). The watch shows the time, steps taken, calories burnt and heart rate
According to Vreynhoef, Google Glass (pictured) could prove the perfect dieters tool. With a built-in barcode scanner to capture the barcode of the food item the wearer is purchasing, or about to consume, their calorie intake will be automatically tracked throughout the day
Into the kitchen, Vreynhoef states that all food could soon be fitted with Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tags.
Once introduced, a mobile app could scan RFID-tagged meal ingredients in one go, to quickly calculate the total calorie content of a dish.
Furthermore, a RFID reader in a fridge and cupboard will be able to automatically display the contents to a smartphone or tablet.
Fridge contents will be listed with full nutritional information, and the app could suggest low calorie recipes ideas from the food available.
MyFitnessPal (pictured left) currently has a built-in barcode scanner that counts calories in food, and adjusts targets based on the activity from connected trackers. Adidas' Fitsmart tracker (pictured right) measures heart rate response to activity, and then guides users to train at the right intensity for weight loss
At the supermarket, smart trolleys could scans RFID tags to calculate calorie content of purchases and alert users about unhealthy products. Tags on posters in shops, used to purchase foods on the go (pictured), could also feature nutritional information about purchases
The use by dates on products will also flag up what needs to be eaten by when - producing a shopping list reminder so people never run out of essentials.
Then, when at the supermarket, smart trolleys fitted with a nutrition assistant could scans RFID tags to calculate the overall calorie, fat and sugar content of purchases as people shop.
The trolley could be set for weight loss, healthy eating, low sugar, low fat or normal shopping modes and alert users about unhealthy products.
The technology could also extend to dieting when eating out, too. Vreynhoef envisions augmented reality restaurant menus (stock image pictured). By holding a phone's camera over the menu choices, the phone will virtually overlay all the nutrition data for the dishes by referring to a central database of nutrition information
Vreynhoef predicts that even mirrors will become smart. 'Imagine a full length mirror that could show you your current shape and, at the press of a button, what you'll look like at your goal weight', said Vreynhoef. This builds on technology being developed by Oral B (pictured) which shows the weather and traffic details on the mirror
During February's Mobile World Congress, the Connected City exhibition featured tags on posters that could be used to purchase foods on the go.
The nutritional information from these purchases could soon be included at the checkout, for example, continued Vreynhoef.
And for extra motivation, Vreynhoef predicts that even bathroom mirrors will become smart.
PATCHES REVEAL USE BY DATES
Patches, recently created at Peking University, work in a similar way. They are smaller than a finger nail, contain a gel made out of a mixture of metals and chemicals, including microscopic pieces of gold, a silver compound and vitamin C.
The gel starts out red but changes colour over time, as its ingredients react with each other.
The rate of the colour change corresponds with the speed of growth of the food poisoning bug E coli at different temperatures.
When the sensor turns green, this means the bacteria have grown enough for the milk to be off.
As the tag sits on the outside of the carton, there is no need to open it.
'Imagine a full length mirror with a screen behind it that could show you your current shape and at the press of a button what you'll look like at your goal weight,' said Vreynhoef.
'To help you achieve your goal, it also provides data and statistics showing how many calories you would need to stick to attain your desired weight and body shape over what time period.'
This builds on technology being developed by Oral B which shows the weather and traffic details on screen, and helps people brush their teeth more effectively.
Dieting technology could also extend eating out, too.
Vreynhoef envisions augmented reality restaurant menus.
By holding a phone's camera over the menu choices, the phone will virtually overlay all the nutrition data for the dishes by referring to a central database of nutrition information.
'The latest tech developments promise a new wave of tech-enabled dieting,' continued Vreynhoef.
'With the growing interesting in self-monitor for activity and vital health indicators, this area promises some exciting new developments which is great news for the many of us struggling to lose or maintain our weight.
'It is estimated that one in every four adults in the UK is obese and if this trend continues, by 2030 half of the UK could be obese adding an additional £2 billion per year to the national purse in medical costs for obesity related diseases.
'According to the NHS, the best way to treat obesity is to eat a healthy, reduced calorie controlled diet and to exercise regularly. So any tech gadget that simplifies the calorie controlling and counting process should help keep the nation's burgeoning waistline in check.'
Put the internet to work for you.
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