Can Smart Forks Help Combat Obesity?

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            Individuals who tend to eat rather quickly typically consume more food than individuals who eat at a slower pace.  Among the many factors that contribute to obesity, eating frequency may be an immediate, modifiable behavior for all individuals.  A 2016 study analyzed the use of a smart fork, called 10SFork, in individuals with self-perceived fast eating frequencies.  The smart fork provides real-time visual and physical feedback that notifies individuals about their meal start and stop time, bite frequency, average time between bites and ratio of over-speed bites.  This fork uses a 10 second bite interval and if you take a bite too quickly, it gently vibrates and lights up red to indicate improper timing.  Eleven participants used the fork over a 3-day period and used it for as many meals as possible throughout the day.  All participants reported a heightened sense of awareness of his/her eating rate and all but one participant reported that they ate more slowly while using the 10SFork.  Technological advances in everyday items, like a fork, may provide valuable feedback for clinical dietitians and other healthcare providers.  They may also act as a remodeling tool in outpatient settings focused on weight management.  Either way, gadgets like the smart fork seem to be the wave of the future.

Hermsen, Sander et al. (2016). Evaluation of a Smart Fork to Decelerate Eating Rate
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Volume 116, Issue 7, 1066-1067.

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