Machine That Gives Feedback As You Eat

Sky News 06/01/2010

A set of portable scales that monitors portion size and speed of eating may be a key ingredient in losing weight.

The machine teaches the user to monitor portions, and to eat more slowly

The Mandometer machine helps retrain people to eat less and more slowly by providing real-time feedback during meal times, according to research published on bmj.com.

The device - developed at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm - plots a graph showing the rate at which food actually disappears from the plate, compared with an "ideal" graph programmed in by a food therapist.

Researchers at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and the University of Bristol, led by Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield, carried out a trial of 106 obese patients aged between nine and 17.

One group was given Mandometer "therapy" to lose weight while the other was provided with standard care.

If we ate fresh, nutritious food that we had cooked ourselves and then sat down to eat and enjoy our meals in a leisurely way - rather like the French do - then obesity problems would be non-existent. Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield

Both groups were encouraged to do 60 minutes of physical exercise a day and to eat a balanced diet based on the Food Standards Agency "eatwell plate".

Participants were checked after 12 months and followed up at 18 months while being regularly monitored and given advice and encouragement over the phone.

After 12 months, the researchers found, the Mandometer group not only had a significantly lower average body mass index but they ate less - and more slowly.

Levels of "good cholesterol" were also significantly higher in the Mandometer group.

Chilli Calamari with Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

MasterChef Australia

Method

1. Combine the rice wine vinegar, palm sugar, lime leaves and chilli, in a small saucepan, place over a medium-low heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Pour into a bowl and place in the fridge to chill. Once chilled strain into a clean bowl and add the lime zest, juice and fish sauce.

2. Combine the watermelon, red onion, lime leaves and herbs in a bowl, using clean hands carefully mix. Set aside in the fridge.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok until hot enough to deep fry. Combine the flour, garlic and onion powders, paprika and chilli powder in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Prepare the calamari tubes by slitting the tubes along one side to open, flat and scoring in a criss-cross pattern, cut into 4 parts. Coat the calamari in the chilli powder, dust off excess and deep-fry in batches, for 30-60 seconds, careful not to over cook, drain onto a plate lined with paper towel.

4. Pour the dressing over the prepared salad and carefully mix.

5. Spoon the salad onto a serving plate and top with the calamari to serve.

Ingredients

Lime dressing: 1 ½ cups rice wine vinegar, 135g Jeeny’s palm sugar, 2 fresh kaffir lime leaves, 1 small red chilli, halved lengthways, 2 limes, zest and juice, 2 tsp fish sauce

Salad: ½ watermelon flesh, large diced, ½ red onion, finely sliced, 3 fresh kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded, ½ cup coriander, leaves, ¼ cup mint leaves, torn, ¼ cup basil leaves, torn

Chilli powder: Vegetable oil, to deep-fry, 100g plain flour, 2 tbs garlic powder, 2 tbs onion powder, 2 tbs paprika, 1 tbs chilli powder, 1 tbs freshly ground black pepper, 1 tbs sea salt, 4 calamari tubes, cleaned