Apple has been granted a patent (number 11,122,832) for ‘methods and compositions to improve weight loss and cardiometabolic health beyond diet and exercise.” It hints at a weight loss system incorporated into the company’s Health or Fitness+ apps.
About the patent
In the patent data, Apple notes that significant portions of individuals in developed countries are overweight or obese which puts the individual at an increased risk for health problems. In addition, being overweight or obese can affect an individual’s lifestyle; including but not limited to, their physical ability to participate in certain activities, wardrobe choices, and/or the individual’s self-impression. It’s not surprising that the tech giant wants to address such issues with its increasing focus on health.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “A weight loss system is presented herein. In one embodiment, the weight loss system that accelerates weight loss in a subject eating a caloric restricted diet with a minimum daily protein intake of about 3 oz. and engaging in daily physical activity equivalent to about 5,000 steps per day is presented. The weight loss system can comprise an effective amount of: an antimicrobial component that includes berberine, cinnamon and curcumin; fish oil; a probiotic component that includes Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., and Streptococcus spp.; an antioxidant, phytochemical component that includes apple extract, grape extract, green tea extract, and olive extract; and a vitamin component that includes vitamins A, B, C, D, and E.
“The weight loss system can stimulate a weight loss of at least 3% more than if not administered to the subject. Further presented herein is a method of facilitating weight loss in a subject and a method of improving the health of a subject participating in a weight loss program.”
FIG. 10B graphically depicts the number of subjects overall achieving a 10% weight loss as determined from an intent-to-treat analysis.