Personalized nutrition planning

• US 6,083,006 A
• Filed: 10/18/1999
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Regina Coffman
• Original Assignee: Regina Coffman
• Inventors: Coffman, Regina
• Primary Examiner(s): Rimell, Sam
• Application Number:
  US09/419,658
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 434/127, 434/262, 600/300, 128/920, 128/921
• US Class Current: 434/127
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/30 Dietetic or nutritional methods, e.g. for losing weight A23L33/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0092 Nutrition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 Diet management

Abstract

When a person desires a weight change, a daily calorie intake during a diet interval is established from answers that the person provides to questions on a questionnaire. A plan is developed to indicate preferable nutrients that provide the daily calorie intake. The preferable nutrients are included in a food menu that is provided via a computer. The computer additionally provides an indication of whether foods on the menu provide either a deficiency level or a toxicity level of vitamins and minerals.

Claims

1. A method of providing a nutrition plan for a person, comprising the steps of:

estimating the person'"'"'s daily calorie intake prior to a diet interval;

recommending a daily calorie intake at the start of said diet interval that is related to said daily calorie intake prior to said diet interval; and

recommending a daily calorie intake at the conclusion of said diet interval that is in accordance with a relationship which is given as;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">C.sub.e =BMR.sub.g (1+K.sub.e)

where;

C_e is said recommended daily calorie intake at the conclusion of said diet interval;

BMR_g is the person'"'"'s basal metabolism rate when the person is at a desired weight; and

K_e is an activity constant in a range of 0.4 to 1, where the low end of the range is applicable when the person is primarily occupied with a sedentary activity and the high end of the range is applicable when the person is primarily occupied with a strenuous activity.

2. In the method of claim 1 when the person desires a change in weight, said step of recommending said starting calorie intake includes the step of determining said starting calorie intake from a table which is given as:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ Estimated Daily Calorie Intake Range Prior to the Diet Interval C.sub.s ______________________________________ less than 1000 1100 1001-1400 1400 1401-1800 1800 1801-2200 2200 2201-2400 2400 2401-2600 2500 2601-2800 2700 2801-3200 3100 3201-3600 3500 3601-4000 3900 4000-4500 4500 4501-5000 4900 more than 5000 0.75 E.sub.main ______________________________________

E_main is a computed daily calorie intake needed to maintain the person at their weight prior to said diet interval; and

C_s is said daily calorie intake at the start of said diet interval, subject to limitations which are given as;

C_s ≦

0.75 E_main, when the person desires a weight loss; and

E_main ≧

C_s ≧

0.75 E_main, when the person desires a gain in weight.

3. In the method of claim 2 wherein said diet interval is thirteen weeks, the additional step of recommending a daily calorie during said diet interval in accordance with a table which is given as:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ Time Daily Calorie Intake ______________________________________ week 1 C.sub.s week 2 C.sub.s week 3 C.sub.a + C.sub.s where C.sub.a = (C.sub.e - C.sub.s)/4 week 4 2C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 5 3C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 6 4C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 7 C.sub.e week 8 0.9C.sub.e week 9 0.85C.sub.e week 10 0.9C.sub.e week 11 0.85C.sub.e week 12 0.95C.sub.e week 13 C.sub.e. ______________________________________

4. In the method of claim 2 wherein said diet interval is thirteen weeks, the additional step of recommending a daily calorie during said diet interval in accordance with a table which is given as:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ Time Daily Calorie Intake ______________________________________ week 1 C.sub.s week 2 C.sub.s week 3 C.sub.a + C.sub.s where C.sub.a = (C.sub.e - C.sub.s)/4 week 4 2C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 5 3C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 6 4C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 7 C.sub.e week 8 C.sub.e + 150 week 9 C.sub.e + 300 week 10 C.sub.e + 450 week 11 C.sub.e + 300 week 12 C.sub.e + 150 week 13 C.sub.e. ______________________________________

5. In the method of claim 1 wherein the daily calorie intake at the start of said diet interval is in accordance with a relationship which is given as:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">C.sub.s =0.75E.sub.main

where;

C_s is the calorie intake at the start of said diet interval; and

E_main is a computed daily calorie intake needed to maintain the person at their weight prior to said diet interval.

6. In the method of claim 5 wherein said diet interval is thirteen weeks, the additional step of recommending a daily calorie intake during said diet interval in accordance with a table which is given as:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ Time Daily Calorie Intake ______________________________________ week 1 C.sub.s week 2 C.sub.s week 3 C.sub.a + C.sub.s where C.sub.a = (C.sub.e - C.sub.s)/4 week 4 2C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 5 3C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 6 4C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 7 C.sub.e week 8 0.9C.sub.e week 9 0.85C.sub.e week 10 0.9C.sub.e week 11 0.85C.sub.e week 12 0.95C.sub.e week 13 C.sub.e. ______________________________________

7. In the method of claim 5 wherein said diet interval is thirteen weeks, the additional step of recommending a daily calorie intake during said diet interval in accordance with a table which is given as:

space="preserve" listing-type="tabular">______________________________________ Time Daily Calorie Intake ______________________________________ week 1 C.sub.s week 2 C.sub.s week 3 C.sub.a + C.sub.s where C.sub.a = (C.sub.e - C.sub.s)/4 week 4 2C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 5 3C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 6 4C.sub.a + C.sub.s week 7 C.sub.e week 8 C.sub.e + 150 week 9 C.sub.e + 300 week 10 C.sub.e + 450 week 11 C.sub.e + 300 week 12 C.sub.e + 150 week 13 C.sub.e. ______________________________________

8. In the method of claim 1, the additional step of providing nutrients daily during said diet interval in accordance with nutrient relationships which are given as:

Protein

W_p =1.5 W_z grams

50 grams<

W_p <

450 grams

C_p =4 W_p

where W_p is grams of said daily protein intake;

C_p is the calories in said daily protein intake; and

W_z is weight of the person in pounds prior to said diet interval;

Fat

C_f =0.15 C_t

W_f =C_f /9

30 grams<

W_f <

100 grams

where C_f is calories in a daily fat intake;

C_t is a total daily calorie intake of the person; and

W_f is grams of said daily fat intake;

Carbohydrate

C_c =C_t -C_f -C_p

W_c =C_c /4

75 grams<

W_c <

450 grams

where W_c is grams of a daily carbohydrate; and

C_c is calories in said daily carbohydrate intake.

9. In the method of claim 8, the additional step of causing a video screen to provide a view of a menu of food that provides nutrients in accordance with said nutrient relationships.

10. In the method of claim 9 wherein said menu includes at least five meals with no more than two hours between meals.

11. In the method of claim 10 where the person desires to replace an undesired food on said menu, the additional steps of:

highlighting a region of said screen where said undesired food appears on said menu;

providing a substitution list of food items on said screen, said substitution list being arranged in descending order of nutritional preference;

highlighting a food item on said substitution list;

causing said highlighted item on said substitution list to appear on said menu in place of said undesired menu item, thereby modifying said menu; and

adjusting the size of portions of said modified menu to cause said nutrients to be provided in accordance with said nutrient relationships.

12. In the method of claim 11, the additional step of providing a display on said screen a summary table of nutrients, vitamins and minerals provided by foods of said modified menu.

13. In the method of claim 12 where said summary list additionally provides an indication of whether there is a sufficiency or a toxicity of said vitamins and minerals.

14. In the method of claim 8, the additional step of including MCT oil as a nutrient that replaces some of said daily carbohydrate intake during said diet interval.

15. In the method of claim 14, the additional step of causing a video screen to provide a view of a menu of food that provides nutrients in accordance with said nutrient relationships.

16. In the method of claim 15 wherein said menu includes at least five meals with no more than two hours between meals.

17. In the method of claim 16 where the person desires to replace an undesired food on said menu, the additional steps of:

highlighting a region of said screen where said undesired food appears on said menu;

providing a substitution list of food items on said screen, said substitution list being arranged in descending order of nutritional preference;

highlighting a food item on said substitution list;

causing said highlighted item on said substitution list to appear on said menu in place of said undesired menu item, thereby modifying said menu; and

adjusting the size of portions of said modified menu to cause said nutrients to be provided in accordance with said nutrient relationships.

18. In the method of claim 17, the additional step of providing a display on said screen a summary table of nutrients, vitamins and minerals provided by foods of said modified menu.

19. In the method of claim 17 where said summary table additionally provides an indication of whether there is a sufficiency or a toxicity of said vitamins and minerals.