Visceral fat meter having pace counting function

• US 20040102684A1
• Filed: 06/20/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamato Scale Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yamato Scale Company Limited
• Inventors: Okita, Koichi, Kawanishi, Shozo
• Granted Patent: US 7,383,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/107 Measuring physical dimensions, e.g. size of the entire body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4869 Determining body composition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A device is provided which is capable of determining an amount of exercise involved in walking or a like exercise, as well as of obtaining quantitative information about visceral fat in the abdominal part of a subject and which can be used handily by being carried with the subject every day.

The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function is configured as follows. The visceral fat determining device has a step-counting means for counting the number of steps involved in exercise such as walking done by a subject and a main body shaped to be portable. When body data of the subject such as the waist size of the subject is inputted to the visceral fat determining device through a manipulation section, the visceral fat determining device is capable of performing a computation of the body data based on a predetermined computing formula for obtaining quantitative information about the abdominal visceral fat of the subject.

Claims

1. A visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function, characterized in that:

the visceral fat determining device has step-counting means for counting the number of steps involved in exercise such as walking done by a subject, and a main body shaped to be portable;

the visceral fat determining device allows entry of body data of the subject including the waist size of the subject, which is the circumferential size of a trunk part of the subject;

the visceral fat determining device is capable of obtaining quantitative information about abdominal visceral fat of the subject through a computation of the body data based on a predetermined computing formula;

the visceral fat determining device has a display means for displaying results of determinations obtained;

the computation based on the computing formula for obtaining the quantitative information about abdominal visceral fat of the subject is performed using data including the waist size of the subject; and

the display means is capable of displaying at least the number of steps counted by the step-counting means.

2. A visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function, characterized in that

the visceral fat determining device has step-counting means for counting the number of steps involved in exercise such as walking done by a subject, and a main body shaped to be portable;

the visceral fat determining device allows entry of body data of the subject including the waist size of the subject, which is the circumferential size of a trunk part of the subject;

the visceral fat determining device is capable of determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject through a computation of the body data based on a predetermined computing formula;

the visceral fat determining device has display means for displaying results of determinations obtained;

the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject is performed using data including the waist size of the subject as the body data; and

the display means is capable of displaying at least the number of steps counted by the step-counting means.

3. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function, characterized in that

the visceral fat determining device has step-counting means for counting the number of steps involved in exercise such as walking done by a subject, and a main body shaped to be portable;

the visceral fat determining device allows entry of body data of the subject including the waist size of the subject which is the circumferential size of a trunk part of the subject;

the visceral fat determining device is capable of determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject through a computation of the body data based on a predetermined computing formula;

the visceral fat determining device has display means for displaying results of determinations obtained;

the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject is performed using data including the waist size of the subject as the body data;

the display means is capable of displaying at least the number of steps counted by the step-counting means;

the visceral fat determining device is capable of storing step-count data obtained by the step-counting means; and

the visceral fat determining device has visceral fat change computing means for performing a computation to find a change in abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area relative to the step-count data based on a first abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area determined through a computation based on first body data, step-count data counted by the step-counting means after the first abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area is determined, and a second abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area determined thereafter through a computation based on second body data.

4. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to claim 3, comprising

visceral fat determination instructing means for instructing the determination of the first abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area through the computation based on the first body data and the determination of the second abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area through the computation based on the second body data;

and

step-counting start-instructing means for instructing the start of counting of step-count data when termination of the computation for determining the first abdominal visceral fat is detected, wherein;

when termination of the step counting by the step-counting means is detected, the visceral fat determination instructing means instructs the determination of the second abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area; and

the visceral fat change computing means performs the computation for determining the change in abdominal visceral fat relative to the step-count data based on the first and second abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional areas determined and the step-count data.

5. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to claim 3 or 4, wherein:

the visceral fat change computing means is configured to perform a computation based on the step-count data to find a consumed calorific value consumed by exercise such as walking done by the subject as well as to find a visceral fat consumption ratio, which is a change in abdominal visceral fat relative to the consumed calorific value as the change in abdominal visceral fat relative to the step-count data.

6. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to claim 5, which is configured to allow entry of the stride and weight of the subject, wherein

the visceral fat change computing means is capable of finding the consumed calorific value and the visceral fat consumption ratio based on the step-count data obtained and the stride and weight entered of the subject.

7. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to claim 5 or 6, which is configured to be capable of storing the visceral fat consumption ratio as well as of performing a computation to estimate the consumed calorific value from the visceral fat consumption ratio and the amount of the change in abdominal visceral fat found from the first and second abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional areas determined.

8. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to claim 5 or 6, which is configured to be capable of storing the visceral fat consumption ratio as well as of performing a computation to estimate the amount of the change in abdominal visceral fat from the visceral fat consumption ratio and the consumed calorific value determined based on the step-count data determined.

9. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to claim 5 or 6, which is configured to be capable of storing the consumed calorific value and the visceral fat consumption ratio, wherein

the visceral fat change computing means is capable of finding a number of steps, a walking distance, and a consumed calorific value which are needed to consume a given target amount of visceral fat based on the step-count data, the consumed calorific value stored and the visceral fat consumption ratio stored.

10. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to claim 6, which is configured to be capable of measuring a time period elapsed after starting of step counting by the step-counting means, wherein

the visceral fat change computing means is configured to determine a distance the subject travels from the step-count data, and the stride and an average traveling speed, from the distance of the travel and the time period taken by the travel, as well as to determine a consumed calorific value consumed by the travel based on the average traveling speed.

11. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 5 to 10, which is configured to be capable of:

measuring a time period elapsed after the start of step counting by the step-counting means and determining abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional areas at predetermined time intervals after the start of a specific kind of exercise such as walking;

comparing the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional areas determined at the predetermined time intervals with the first abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area sequentially and measuring a time period until a difference between the first abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area and any one of the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional areas determined at the predetermined time intervals is detected, thereby measuring a time period from the start of the specific kind of exercise until combustion of visceral fat starts;

storing a visceral fat combustion starting time period which is a time period elapsed until the start of the visceral fat combustion; and

performing a computation to find a consumed calorific value consumed by exercise such as walking done by the subject based on the step-count data obtained by step-counting means after a lapse of the visceral fat consumption starting time period from the start of the specific kind of exercise and determining a corrected visceral fat consumption ratio as a change in abdominal visceral fat relative to the consumed calorific value thus found.

12. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 5 to 10, which is configured to find the average value of visceral fat consumption ratios as the result of a determination performed a plurality of times.

13. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 5 to 10, which is configured to find the cumulative sum of visceral fat consumption ratios as the result of a determination performed a plurality of times.

14. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to claim 11, which is configured to find the average value of corrected visceral fat consumption ratios as the result of a determination performed a plurality of times.

15. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to claim 11, which is configured to find the cumulative sum of corrected visceral fat consumption ratios as the result of a determination performed a plurality of times.

16. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 2 to 15, wherein:

the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject is created by statistical processing of correlations between actual visceral fat cross-sectional areas of a large number of human bodies as samples that are measured by tomography of the abdominal parts of the human bodies and body data of the human bodies as the samples; and

the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area is performed using data including the waist size of the subject.

17. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 2 to 15, which is configured to allow entry of body data of the subject including the waist size, height, and weight of the subject, the waist size being the circumferential size of a trunk part of the subject, wherein

the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject is created by statistical processing of correlations between actual visceral fat cross-sectional areas of a large number of human bodies as samples that are measured by tomography of the abdominal parts of the human bodies and body data of the human bodies as the samples;

and

the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area is performed using data including the waist size of the subject and a BMI found from the height and weight of the subject.

18. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 2 to 15, which is configured to allow entry of body data of the subject including the waist size, height, weight, and abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness of the subject, the waist size being the circumferential size of a trunk part of the subject, wherein:

the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject is created by statistical processing of correlations between actual visceral fat cross-sectional areas of a large number of human bodies as samples that are measured by tomography of the abdominal parts of the human bodies and body data of the human bodies as the samples; and

the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area is performed using data including the waist size of the subject, a BMI found from the height and weight of the subject and the abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness.

19. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 2 to 15, which has body fat ratio measurement means capable of determining the body fat ratio of the subject based on the impedance of the body of the subject that is measured via electrodes brought into contact with terminals of the body of the subject, wherein:

the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject is created by statistical processing of correlations between actual visceral fat cross-sectional areas of a large number of human bodies as samples that are measured by tomography of the abdominal parts of the human bodies and body data of the human bodies as the samples; and

the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area is performed using data including the waist size and body fat ratio of the subject.

20. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 2 to 15, which is configured to allow entry of body data of the subject including the waist size and abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness of the subject, the waist size being the circumferential size of a trunk part of the subject, and which has body fat ratio measurement means capable of determining the body fat ratio of the subject based on the impedance of the body of the subject that is measured via electrodes brought into contact with terminals of the body of the subject;

wherein;

the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject is created by statistical processing of correlations between actual visceral fat cross-sectional areas of a large number of human bodies as samples that are measured by tomography of the abdominal parts of the human bodies and body data of the human bodies as the samples; and

the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area is performed using data including the waist size, abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness, and body fat ratio of the subject.

21. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 2 to 15, which is configured to allow entry of body data of the subject including the waist size, height, and weight of the subject, the waist size being the circumferential size of a trunk part of the subject, and has body fat ratio measurement means capable of determining the body fat ratio of the subject based on the impedance of the body of the subject that is measured via electrodes brought into contact with terminals of the body of the subject, wherein:

the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject is created by statistical processing of correlations between actual visceral fat cross-sectional areas of a large number of human bodies as samples that are measured by tomography of the abdominal parts of the human bodies and body data of the human bodies as the samples; and

the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area is performed using data including the waist size of the subject, a BMI found from the height and weight of the subject, and the body fat ratio of the subject.

22. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 2 to 15, which is configured to allow entry of body data of the subject including the waist size, height, weight, and abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness of the subject, the waist size being the circumferential size of a trunk part of the subject, and which has body fat ratio measurement means capable of determining the body fat ratio of the subject based on the impedance of the body of the subject that is measured via electrodes brought into contact with terminals of the body of the subject, wherein:

the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject is created by statistical processing of correlations between actual visceral fat cross-sectional areas of a large number of human bodies as samples that are measured by tomography of the abdominal parts of the human bodies and body data of the human bodies as the samples; and

the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area is performed using data including the waist size of the subject, a BMI found from the height and weight of the subject, and the abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness and body fat ratio of the subject.

23. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 2 to 15, which has impedance measurement means capable of measuring the impedance of the body of the subject via electrodes brought into contact with terminals of the body of the subject, wherein:

5 the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area of the subject is created by statistical processing of correlations between actual visceral fat cross-sectional areas of a large number of human bodies as samples that are measured by tomography of the abdominal parts of the human bodies and body data of the human bodies as the samples; and

the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area is performed using data including the waist size of the subject and the impedance of the body of the subject.

24. The visceral fat determining device with a step-counting function according to any one of claims 16 to 23, wherein the computation based on the computing formula for determining the abdominal visceral fat cross-sectional area is performed using a correction term based on the age of the subject and/or a correction term based on the sex of the subject.