System and method for monitoring weight and nutrition

• US 8,087,937 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2009
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FloSports, Inc.
• Original Assignee: National Wrestling Coaches Association
• Inventors: Peplinski, Daniel M., Utter, Alan, Neiman, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US12/431,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 434236-238
• US Class Current: 434/127
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0092 Nutrition
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 Diet management

Abstract

A system for providing weight and nutritional information. The system involves input of subject data such as weight, body fat percentage, and expected activity levels. Users also may input an assessment of a subject, which can be used to generate a weight plan for the subject. The weight plan can include a series of acceptable minimum weights for the subject, each of the minimum weights being associated with a time. The method can also be used to generate a nutrition plan based on the subject data entered. A subject can build the nutrition plan by responding to a series of food exchange item prompts.

Claims

1. A computer-based system for preventing excessive weight loss in a wrestler or other subject, comprising:

a computer with a computer processor, wherein said computer processor is programmed to prevent excessive weight loss in a subject by;

providing a user interface, said interface providing a plurality of data entry options, at least one of the data entry options allowing for entry of data for generating an assessment of a subject;

automatically calculating, based upon the subject assessment data, a maximum allowable weight loss for a time period for the subject, where the maximum allowable weight loss is determined using the subject'"'"'s body weight, body fat percentage, and fat weight;

automatically calculating a first minimum allowable weight for the subject;

automatically generating a weight plan comprising a series of minimum acceptable weights for the subject by decreasing the first minimum allowable weight by a constant factor, each minimum acceptable weight being associated with a time period and

storing the first minimum allowable weight and series of minimum acceptable weights in a computer readable medium or database

wherein said user interface comprises an option to appeal the weight plan to a governing body.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the assessment data is stored on a computer readable medium or database.

3. The system of claim 1, further wherein the computer processor determines the subject body fat percentage.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the determination of subject body fat percentage is based upon subject body density.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computer display or monitor for displaying one or more of the acceptable minimum weights.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an assessor interface for one or more assessors, said assessors designated by a governing body for a sport, school or activity in which the subject participates to determine whether a subject has exceeded a minimum acceptable weight for any period.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the assessor interface allows an assessor to access information about one or more subjects in the database.

8. The system of claim 1, further wherein the user interface provides a menu of report options.

9. The system of claim 1, further wherein the user interface provides menu options for a program addressed to scholastic wrestlers and for a program addressed to collegiate wrestlers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the assessment data comprises identification of the subject, subject age or academic level, subject weight, and data describing subject body fat percentage.

11. A computer-based system for monitoring an athlete'"'"'s compliance with a weight plan in an athletic program, said system comprising a computer with a computer processor, wherein said computer processor is programmed to at least:

(a) provide at least a first user interface comprising a data entry option allowing for a first user to enter;

(a1) the athlete'"'"'s hydrated weight at a first time period or data sufficient to calculate the athlete'"'"'s hydrated weight at the first time period; and

(a2) the athlete'"'"'s body fat percentage at the first time period or data sufficient to calculate the athlete'"'"'s body fat percentage at the first time period;

(b) calculate the weight plan based upon at least the data from (a), wherein the weight plan comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of;

(b1) a lowest allowable weight during at least one time period after the first time period;

(b2) a maximum allowable weight loss during at least one time period after the first time period;

(b3) a lowest allowable body fat percentage during a time period after the first time period; and

(b4) a lowest allowable change in body fat percentage during a time period after the first time period; and

(c) generate a report based upon the weight plan, wherein said report is sufficient to certify that the athlete complies with a weight management program established by a governing body for the athletic program.

wherein the first user interface comprises an option to appeal the weight plan to governing body.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the weight plan comprises a lowest allowable weight during each of a plurality of time periods after the first time period.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the computer processor calculates the weight plan by a method comprising:

automatically calculating a first lowest allowable weight for the athlete based on at least the athlete'"'"'s body fat percentage and hydrated weight at the first time period; and

automatically generating a series of lowest allowable weights for the subject by decreasing the first lowest allowable weight by a constant factor, each lowest allowable weight being associated with each of a series of time periods.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the athlete is a wrestler and the time period after the first time period is at least a portion of a wrestling season.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the data entry option of the first user interface permits the user to enter data for each wrestler of a wrestling team and wherein the report comprises:

(c1) a roster of each wrestler for the team;

(c2) a lowest allowable wrestling weight for each wrestler of the wrestling team; and

(c3) a first allowable date at which the wrestler may be at the lowest allowable wrestling weight.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the first user interface further comprises an option to select criteria for calculating the weight plan.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the criteria may be tailored by the user.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface further comprises a data entry option allowing for entry of at least the athlete'"'"'s weight and/or body fat percentage at a second time point later than the first time period.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer processor is programmed to generate a second user interface, wherein the second user interface permits a second user to monitor the athlete'"'"'s compliance with the weight plan.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein access to the data entry option of the first user interface is restricted to designated users.