The gadget gives a voice signal to slow down if the food disappears too quickly. The device creates a digital graph of the child's consumption rate and then compares it with an "ideal" graph that is programmed into the device by a nutritionist.
The results of the 12-month study were recently released in the British Medical Journal. The study incorporated data collected from 106 obese children. The researchers found that after one year, the eating speed of the children in the study fell by 11 percent, compared with 4 percent in a control group. In addition, children who used the Mandometer also weighed less and ate smaller portions.
Chief researcher Julian Hamilton-Shield believes that the device may significantly benefit obese children by retraining them to eat more slowly, which will encourage them to eat less (the longer time allows the brain time to signal that the body is full).
Dr. Hamilton-Shield commented: "It really did seem to help them. Their portion sizes decreased by a seventh. Even though this may not sound a lot, it is enough to make a difference. And the improvement seems to be durable because it continued six months after the trial finished."
(Source: www.redorbit.com)
Labels: treatment, childhood-obesity
Posted By: Aspen Education Group