Obese children lose weight with computer help

Obese children have been testing out a new computerised device in a bid to help them lose weight.

The new device has been trialled by researchers at Bristol University and the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

The Mandometer is a computerised weighing scale helping people to eat less by retraining the way they eat.

Developed  at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, the device shows the rate a child is actually consuming food compared to their ideal intake programmed in by a food therapist.

The results of the research published on the BMJ website today came from a trial of 106 obese youngsters between the ages of 9 – 17 years.

One group of children received Mandometer therapy, whilst the other received only standard care.

After 12 months, the children using the Mandometer had a significantly lower body mass index and fat score than the children receiving standard care.

The authors concluded: “Mandometer therapy, focussing on eating speed and meal size, seems to be a useful addition to the rather sparse options available for treating adolescent obesity effectively without recourse to pharmacotherapy.”