Claims

1.

A method for assisting a person to create a record of foods consumed by the person, the method comprising: creating food images corresponding to food items consumed; recording the food images in a memory of an electronic device, the electronic device having a display, and a processor; viewing the food images on the display of the electronic device, so as to identify food items consumed; selecting food item identifiers corresponding to the food images viewed; and recording the food item identifiers in the memory of the electronic device, so as to create a record of the food items consumed.

2.	The method of claim 1, wherein the food item identifiers are selected from one or more menu listings viewed on the display of the electronic device.

3.	The method of claim 1, wherein the food images are created using an imaging system which is part of the electronic device.

4.	The method of claim 1, wherein the food images are created using an imaging system which is in communication with the electronic device.

5.

A method of creating a record of a food item consumed, the method comprising: recording a food image of the food item consumed; viewing the food image on a display of an electronic device; providing a food item identifier to a software application program running on the electronic device, wherein the food item identifier corresponds to the food image viewed on the display; and recording the food item identifier in a memory of the electronic device, so as to create a record of food items consumed.

6.	The method of claim 5, wherein the food image is recorded in a memory of the electronic device.

7.	The method of claim 5, wherein the food item name is selected from a list of food item names presented on the display of the electronic device.

8.	The method of claim 5, wherein the food item name is entered into the electronic device using a menu selection system.

9.

A method of creating a diet log, comprising: recording an image of a label, the label corresponding to a food item consumed; analyzing the image of the label, so as to determine an identity of the food item consumed; and storing the identity of the food item consumed in an electronic memory, so as to create a diet log.

10.	The method of claim 9, wherein the label is a printed label.

11.	The method of claim 9, wherein the label is a bar code.

12.	The method of claim 9, wherein the label is an alphanumeric code.

13.	The method of claim 9, wherein the identity of the food item consumed is correlated with nutritional data using a database, and the nutritional data is stored in an electronic memory so as to create a nutritional record for the person.

14.

A method by which a person can create a record of a food consumed, the method comprising: recording at least one image of the food consumed; transmitting the image of the food consumed to a remote computer system; receiving a food identification from the remote computer system; and recording the food identification, so as to create a record of foods consumed.

15.	The method of claim 14, wherein the image of the food consumed is transmitted to the remote computer system over a communications network.

16.	The method of claim 14, wherein the image of the food consumed is analyzed by a software system running on the remote computer system, so as to provide the food identification.

17.	The method of claim 14, wherein the image of the food consumed is analyzed by a person interacting with the remote computer system, so as to provide the food identification.

18.	The method of claim 14, wherein the remote computer system comprises an image analysis system.

19.

A system to assist a person determine a calorie balance for the person, comprising: a portable computing device, having a display, a processor, a memory, a clock, and a data entry mechanism; an imaging system, adapted to record food images of food consumed by the person; and a software application program, executed by the processor of the portable computing device, adapted to present food images to the person on the display, to receive food identification data from the person corresponding to food images presented on the display, and to determine the caloric value of foods consumed by the person.

20.	The system of claim 19, further comprising an indirect calorimeter, providing a determination of a resting metabolic rate of the person, wherein the software application program is adapted to receive the resting metabolic rate of the person.

21.

The system of claim 19, further comprising an activity monitor, providing an activity signal correlated with an activity level of the person, the activity signal being transmitted to the portable computing device, the software application program being adapted to determine a caloric expenditure of the person from the activity signal.

22.

A system for assisting a person create a record of foods consumed, comprising ; a computing device, comprising a processor, a memory, a clock, and a display; an imaging system, in communication with the computing device, comprising an optical imaging sensor, and a imaging control mechanism, so as to allow the person to capture food images corresponding to foods consumed by the person; and a software application program, executed by the processor, adapted to display food images to the person, to accept corresponding food identifier data from the person, and to store the food item identifier data in the memory, so as to create a record of foods consumed by the person.

23.	The system of claim 22, wherein the software application program is further adapted to display a menu of food item identifiers to the person.

24.	The system of claim 22, further comprising an activity sensor, in communication with the computing device, so as to allow a determination of activity expenditure of the person, and wherein the software application program is further adapted to calculate a calorie balance for the person.

25.	The system of claim 22, further comprising a blood glucose sensor in communication with the computing device, and wherein the software application program is further adapted to predict a blood glucose level for the person.

26.

The system of claim 21, further comprising a physiological sensor in communication with the computing device, the physiological sensor providing a physiological signal, wherein one or more images are automatically captured by the imaging system in response to values of the physiological signal correlated with eating.

27.

A method of determining a calorie balance for a person, comprising: determining a resting metabolic rate of the person; determining an activity level of the person recording images corresponding to food items consumed by the person; using the recorded images to determine the caloric intake of the person; and determining the calorie balance of the person using the determined resting metabolic rate, the determined activity level, and the determined caloric intake of the person.