Food Friend

The adage "A healthy outside starts from the inside" captures the essence of the dietary impact on our health, emphasising its role in managing and preventing diet-related diseases which strain public health systems. Poor dietary habits can lead to metabolic issues, obesity, and other health complications, significantly affecting daily life. Moreover, patients transitioning from tube feeding to solid foods post-surgery face challenges in accurately monitoring their dietary intake. Traditional methods of tracking food consumption are often cumbersome and unclear to end-users.

Within the scope of the Food Friend project, the 'Smart plate' was introduced, developed by Remecare and KU Leuven. This innovative plate features smart sensors that automate the measurement of food intake. Just by putting food on their plate, users can easily track how much they eat without having to do it manually, which can be a hassle. Integration with the Remecare platform ensures seamless data transmission, providing healthcare professionals with real-time nutritional data to optimise dietary advice and manage nutritional supplements effectively. This technology also promptly alerts healthcare professionals to potential malnutrition risks.

These technological solutions empower dietitians to detect eating difficulties and to make faster, more informed decisions, enabling patients to actively manage their nutrition. Personalised feedback promotes healthier eating habits tailored to individual needs, enhancing recovery post-surgery and improving overall wellbeing for those managing diet-related health conditions.

More information:
https://itea4.org/project/food-friend.html