Up Front 12/11

Every morning I get up and make a solemn promise to either, go to the gym, take a brisk stroll, have a swim, or at the very least walk the dog. Any of these activities might help to fight middle aged flab and give me a little much needed exercise. More often than not, however, work takes over, and before I know it it’s time to chase around the countryside collecting children before going back to deal with yet more office chores of a sedentary nature. With Christmas around the corner and the possibility of a little over indulgence I am thinking of making yet another solemn promise: this time to join my girls in a dance routine, (obviously in a place where they can’t be too embarrassed). Or I could get one of the latest gadgets designed to help people to lose weight. Launched by a Swedish company, the Mandometer is an interactive computer system that aims to retrain users in their eating habits. The device is essentially a weighing scale which hooks up to a small computer. Users place an empty plate on the scale, then slowly add the food they plan to eat until they reach a previously agreed upon quantity. As they eat the food, they receive constant feedback from the ‘talking plate’ regarding the rate of consumption—friendly advice such as ‘please eat more slowly’. The device is to be trialled by the NHS to help fight Britain’s obesity problem and though it might sound ridiculous, previous tests have apparently proved successful. The good news for the manufacturers is that the Manometer is costing the NHS around £1,500 per unit. It seems we have come such a long way since Mum used to say, “Don’t bolt your food darling.”