Hello readers, in this post we bring to you part two of our series titled “Weight Loss Patents”. As we all know, people around the world have become obsessed (and rightfully so) with weight loss and healthy living. Here are a few interesting inventions on methods and games to lose wight that were filed in the US Patent Office.
An invention as disclosed in US4951197A relates to a weight management system which enables a participant to lose and maintain a desired weight without crash dieting. The system utilizes a computer analysis of a participant’s past medical history, eating habits, body measurements, exercise level and taste preferences to provide a menu of a specified number of calories to maintain a reasonable weight. The system provides consultation with a dietitian in order for a participant to recognize the deficiencies in the past diet. The system further provides consultation to effect behaviour modification of the participant by offering instruction in nutrition, exercise and proper cooking techniques. A series of charts is produced indicating the variations between the participant’s past diet and a recommended diet. Counseling is offered to provide positive reinforcement for the exercise program and to aid the participant in adjusting to the new lifestyle. That seems like a well-rounded approach doesn’t it?
How about playing a game to lose weight? Yes. An invention as disclosed in US5544891A relates to an exercise and nutritional game apparatus adapted to be played by a large number of players. The game apparatus includes a game board having a playing path defined by many contiguous spaces; a set of playing pieces; a pair of dice; a chance means for determining an exercise; first set of cards each having printed thereon a nutritional question, a choice of possible answers, and a correct answer; second set of cards each having printed thereon a number to reduce repetitions of a particular exercise; third set of cards having printed thereon a junk food question, a choice of possible answers, and a correct answer; and a booklet with nutritional and junk food supplemental information and exercise descriptions. Play is conducted by advancing the playing piece along the playing path for the number of spaces determined by a throw of the dice. Various colours of the contiguous spaces determine various courses of action for the player which lands on a space. Those courses of actions include selecting an exercise to perform, selecting a nutritional question to answer, selecting a junk food question to answer, and selecting a card to reduce repetitions of an exercise. Weight is symbolically gained when exercises are not fully performed as directed and when nutritional and junk foods are answered incorrectly. Weight is symbolically lost when exercises are fully performed and when questions are answered correctly. Weight may be lost or gained by wagering units of weight on whether a player will fully perform a given exercise. The winner of the game is the player that finishes with the least amount of weight gain.
Wow, brownie points for making weight loss more fun!
Yet another invention as disclosed in US20060259323A1 is directed to a control wristwatch including a processor programmed with a weight management program and an RF receiver, a weight scale for collecting weight data from a user and including an RF transmitter for transmitting the weight data to the wristwatch, and a pedometer or heart rate monitor for collecting exercise data from the user and including an RF transmitter for transmitting the exercise data to the wristwatch. The weight management program is operable on the weight data to determine a plan for managing the weight of the user through exercise, and operable on the exercise data to monitor execution of the plan.
An invention as disclosed in US20070111858A1 titled “System and method for using a video game to achieve an exercise objective” includes receiving input indicating an objective for a user; receiving input indicating a characteristic of the user; determining an exercise regimen designed to cause the user having the inputted characteristic to achieve the objective when the exercise regimen is followed; and determining a video game in which successful play of the video game requires performing the exercise regimen. The video game includes a game system adapted to monitor the user and to influence game play based upon the user performing the exercise regimen.
Not all video games contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle.
Well, we hope these inventions changed perception about weight loss. Weight loss does not necessarily have to be mundane and boring, adding the “fun factor” may be the required motivation. In our next post we will bring some more fascinating inventions relating to weight loss.
Authored by Anjali Santhosh.
Contributed by the Patent Division of BananaIP Counsels.
For more information contact us at [email protected] . Our experts will respond to you at the earliest.
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