2011
author
Gosia Pieniak (PL)
title
Set to Support the Cure of Eating Problems and to Teach Consumption of Nutriset Health Products
degree
B.A. project
e-mail
school
Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
supervisor
Grzegorz Niwiński
This set is designed to support desirable eating habits, particularly when dining out. The designer noticed and took into consideration an important social problem: appetite disorders, chiefly bulimia and anorexia. Estimates say that 2–4 per cent of the population suffers from these diseases, while 95 per cent of those affected are young women. This design was made with them in mind, using modern, widely available electronics. The concept of the set is strictly adapted to the premises of cognitive‑behavioral therapy. The heart of the design is an app installed in a smartphone. The afflicted person plans meals according to its instructions, putting food in containers that also serve as measures. The program also sets the pace at which meals are taken. Here a sensor mat is used to weigh the bowls set out on it during mealtime. Attached to the smartphone, the mat signals too‑slow or too‑quick eating speeds, which prevent a healthy feeling of satiation. The complexity of the design, based on psychological consultations and the ability to use new technologies, deserves our attention. The fine idea of giving the set a bag the shape of a non‑stigmatizing woman’s purse could be developed further, so that it can be adapted to the tastes of the user.