Software for nutrition has a number of different purposes. Most often it is used either to plan or to evaluate a person's diet. Dietitians as well as individuals use this type of software, and it can be very helpful for those who want to lose weight or for those with certain medical conditions that require them to follow limited diets. Nutrition software makes it easier to follow a particular diet that includes all the essential nutrients.
Types
The two main types of software for nutrition are those programs meant for professional use and those meant for individual use. Within the professional category, meal and diet planning software is used by dietitians to evaluate and plan diets for their clients and by school lunch programs and other organizations that plan meals for large groups that need to fulfill certain dietary requirements. Programs meant for individuals usually can be used to plan diets or as food and exercise journals where people input what they eat and how much they exercise for analysis by the software.
Function
Software programs make it easier for people to accomplish nutrition-related tasks. For example, dietitians can quickly and easily evaluate a client's three-day diet record and determine whether she is eating an appropriate level of calories and nutrients. School menu planners can evaluate recipes and generate menus that comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations, making it easier to add more variety to lunches. Individuals can keep track of what they eat and see what nutrients they might need more of and where they might be slipping up in their diets so they can gain or lose weight.
Benefits
Research shows that individuals who keep a food diary, whether electronic or written, are more likely to reach their weight-loss goals, because they are held accountable for what they eat, according to Fitness Magazine. The programs allow for much quicker and easier evaluation of nutrition data both for professionals and individuals.
Considerations
It is important to choose nutrition software with care, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Yes, all those extra features offered by some programs might be nice, but the most important feature is the nutrient database. It should be large and include brand-name foods and fast foods, and the information should be accurate.
For professionals planning school lunch programs, it is best to use one of the 14 programs approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Nutrient Standard Menu Planning. This will help to insure that menus comply with the school lunch program requirements. See Resources for access to that list.
Choosing a Program
Those choosing nutrition programs should find out whether or not the nutrition database contains the foods they want to evaluate, as well as detailed and specific information on each of these foods without too many gaps in information. It is also important to check that the makers of the program regularly update the data and that adequate measures for quality control ensures that the information is accurate, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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