Method and process for body composition management

• US 8,882,668 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: On Target Health, LLC
• Original Assignee: Elizabeth S. Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Elizabeth S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SORIANO, BOBBY GILES
• Application Number:
  US11/985,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20090131814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,549 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 128903-905, 128/920, 128/921
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4869 Determining body composition

Abstract

A weight management method and system measures and utilizes an individual'"'"'s specific body composition and metabolic rates to provide a nutritional plan designed to the individual'"'"'s specific weight management goals, including weight loss, weight gain or weight control. The system is composed of four primary components: 1) body composition testing; 2) metabolic rate testing; 3) Registered Dietitian counseling; and 4) message therapy. These components are utilized to provide a system that utilizes behavior modification and stress management to allow the individual to meet his or her weight management goals through a healthy, stable process.

Claims

1. A method for reducing an individual'"'"'s fatty tissue mass relative to the individual'"'"'s lean body mass comprising:

a) testing a first body composition of the individual with a fat/lean analysis device having a margin of error less than or equal to 2%, and setting a target fat/lean mass for the individual based upon the first body composition;

b) testing a metabolic rate of the individual and setting a caloric intake range for the individual based upon the metabolic rate;

c) providing counseling to the individual by a nutritional counselor;

d) testing a second body composition of the individual with the fat/lean analysis device after the testing the first body composition step,

providing the individual with massage therapy if the individual achieves the target fat/lean mass, and adjusting the target fat/lean mass for the individual based upon the second body composition,

retesting the metabolic rate of the individual if the individual'"'"'s caloric intake was within caloric intake range and the individual did not achieve the target/lean mass, and resetting the caloric intake range for the individual based upon the retested metabolic rate of the individual;

e) testing a third body composition of the individual with the fat/lean analysis device after the testing the second body composition step,

providing the individual with massage therapy if the individual achieves the target fat/lean mass, and adjusting the target fat/lean mass for the individual based upon the third body composition,

retesting the metabolic rate of the individual if the individual'"'"'s caloric intake was within caloric intake range and the individual did not achieve the target/lean mass, and resetting the caloric intake range for the individual based upon the retested metabolic rate of the individual;

d) testing a fourth body composition of the individual with the fat/lean analysis device two weeks after the testing the third body composition step,

providing the individual with massage therapy if the individual achieves the target fat/lean mass, and adjusting the target fat/lean mass for the individual based upon the fourth body composition,

retesting the metabolic rate of the individual if the individual'"'"'s caloric intake was within caloric intake range and the individual did not achieve the target/lean mass, and resetting the caloric intake range for the individual based upon the retested metabolic rate of the individual;

wherein the individual'"'"'s body composition is retested biweekly for at least 12 weeks.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fat/lean analysis device is a plethysmographic air chamber, a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, or a computed tomography scanner.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the testing of the metabolic rate of the individual includes measuring the oxygen consumption of the individual.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the target fat/lean mass includes a one pound reduction in fatty tissue mass.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the target fat/lean mass includes a one pound reduction in fatty tissue mass

if the individual is male and the fatty tissue mass exceeds more then 15% of the individual'"'"'s combined lean tissue mass and fatty tissue mass, or

if the individual is female and the fatty tissue mass exceeds more then 25% of the individual'"'"'s combined lean tissue mass and fatty tissue mass.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the individual'"'"'s body composition is retested biweekly for at least 26 weeks.

3. A method for managing an individual'"'"'s fatty tissue mass relative to the individual'"'"'s lean mass comprising:

a) testing a body composition of the individual with an analysis device having a margin of error less than or equal to 2% in testing the individual'"'"'s fatty tissue mass and lean mass, and setting a target fat/lean mass for the individual based upon the first body composition, wherein the body composition of the individual includes the individual'"'"'s fatty tissue mass and the individual'"'"'s lean mass; and

setting a target fatty mass for the individual based upon the body composition of the individual;

b) testing a metabolic rate of the individual and setting a caloric intake range for the individual based upon the metabolic rate;

c) providing counseling to the individual by a registered dietitian;

d) retesting the body composition of the individual biweekly with the analysis device, wherein after each retest

providing a massage therapy to the individual if the target fatty mass is achieved, and resetting the target fatty mass for the individual based upon the retested body composition of the individual;

retesting the individual'"'"'s metabolic rate if the individual'"'"'s caloric intake was within caloric intake range and the individual did not achieve the target fatty mass, and resetting the caloric intake range for the individual based upon the retested metabolic rate of the individual.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising questioning the individual with a questionnaire, the questionnaire questioning the individual'"'"'s gender, height, weight, current exercise habits, weight management goals, weight management history, factors motivating the individual, daily activity levels, body type, health, and medical conditions.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein testing the metabolic rate of the individual further comprises measuring the oxygen consumption of the individual.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising biweekly retesting of the body composition of the individual for at least twenty six weeks.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising re-counseling the individual by the registered dietitian.

13. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

d) bi-weekly retesting of the body composition of the individual for twenty six weeks; and

e) providing the individual with an additional massage therapy when a recent body composition test indicates a bi-weekly one pound body fat reduction.

17. The method of claim 3 wherein the analysis device is selected from a group consisting a plethysmographic air chamber, a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, or computed tomography scanner.

9. A lifestyle management method for motivating an individual to achieve a measured one pound bi-weekly body fat reduction goal while maintaining lean mass, the lifestyle management method comprising the steps of:

a) measuring a first body fat weight in the individual with an analysis device selected from a group consisting a plethysmographic air chamber, a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, and a computed tomography scanner;

measuring a first body lean weight in the individual with the analysis device;

measuring a first metabolic rate for the individual and setting a caloric intake range for the individual based upon the metabolic rate;

b) measuring a second body fat weight of the individual with the analysis device two weeks after the first body fat weight measurement to determine a bi-weekly body fat change;

measuring a second body lean weight of the individual with the analysis device two weeks after the first body lean measurement to determine a bi-weekly body lean change;

providing a massage therapy to the individual if the bi-weekly fat change is greater than one pound;

measuring a second metabolic rate for the individual and resetting the caloric intake range if the biweekly fat change is less than one pound and the individual'"'"'s caloric intake between the measurements of the first body fat weight and the second body fat weight was within the caloric intake range;

c) every two weeks for at least an additional four (4) weeks measuring a recent bi- weekly body fat change and a recent bi-weekly body lean change of the individual with analysis device

d) encouraging the individual with massage therapy when the recent bi-weekly body fat change achieves the measured one pound bi-weekly body fat reduction goal; and

e) measuring a recent metabolic rate for the individual and resetting the caloric intake range if the recent bi-weekly fat change is less than one pound and the individual'"'"'s caloric intake between was within the caloric intake range.

10. The lifestyle management method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

f) providing the individual with a first Registered Dietician consultation to aide the individual in achieving the one pound body fat reduction reward threshold.

11. The lifestyle management method of claim 10 further comprising of step of:

g) measuring a second metabolic rate; and

h) providing the individual with a second Registered Dietician consultation when the caloric intake range is reset.

12. The lifestyle management method of claim 11 wherein the first and second measuring of the metabolic rate is indirect calorimetry.