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Are you in the habit of taking pictures of your plates? It’s a good habit, according to researchers at Curtin University in Perth, Australia! In fact, it could help you eat more healthily.
Are you one of those gourmets who post their dishes on Instagram? Well, good news: taking a photo of your plate could have a positive impact on the way you eat, according to an Australian study.
Different methods to memorize your dishes
For this study, the researchers gathered a cohort of 152 volunteers, 55% of whom were women. The average age was 32. The scientists served the participants three meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then they offered them different methods to remember what they had eaten:
- By taking a picture of their plate;
- By taking written notes;
- By simply memorizing the dish.
Actual and estimated energy and nutrient intakes of meals were compared, and differences between methods were assessed using scientific models.
Taking a photo of your plate helps you remember it better
Results: The researchers demonstrated that memories of the dishes consumed and therefore the assessment of nutritional intake were more accurate for participants who took photos, via a mobile application called Food Record, compared to those who did not.
This made it easier for them to balance their meals throughout the day. A real advantage according to Clare Whitton, who led the study: “Accurate and reliable data on population nutrition is essential to help people optimize their health“.
NO to diets, YES to WW!
Towards the use of artificial intelligence to analyze photos of dishes?
Following these results, the researchers are now working with those at Purdue University to develop artificial intelligence software capable of automatically analyzing photos, identifying foods and evaluating the calories and nutritional value of the dish.
According to Deborah Kerr, co-author of the study, “It’s much easier for people to track what they eat when they just take pictures. And it’s going to get even easier when we start to fully automate the analysis of food in photos. With advances in artificial intelligenceit won’t be long.”
An excellent way to also adapt the dietary advice given to patients who wish to eat a more balanced diet.