Nutrition is a fundamental factor shaping human health, daily energy levels, well-being, and quality of life. A major report on the global food system states that less than 1% of the world's population follows a diet beneficial to both the planet and human health. According to The Lancet, approximately 11 million deaths worldwide (accounting for 22% of total mortality in 2017) were associated with poor nutrition, with cardiovascular diseases being the leading factor, followed by cancer and type 2 diabetes [1]. Analytics from 195 countries show that poor diet quality is a primary cause of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, joint problems, and obesity [2]. McKinsey research asserts that improving and monitoring key health indicators, including nutrition, could increase global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 8% by 2040.
This paper presents a comprehensive study on human nutrition control, analyzing its impact on overall health and economic factors, and identifying key barriers to maintaining a healthy diet. As an effective solution, a working Minimal Viable Product (MVP) of the "Smart Plate" integrated hardware-software system was designed and assembled. The hardware measurement module is built on a 1 kg load cell, a 24-bit analog-to-digital converter (HX711), and an ESP32 DevKitC microcontroller, powered by an autonomous battery compartment. The software interface is developed using HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. Wireless synchronization between the hardware and the web application is achieved via the energy-efficient Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol, enabling automated step-by-step tracking of macronutrients with real-time interactive recommendations. Experimental testing confirmed the overall stability of the system, the full viability of the proposed architecture, and revealed high potential for further improvement and large-scale social application.
Reference
GBD 2017 Diet Collaborators, "Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017," The Lancet, vol. 393, no. 10184, pp. 1958-1972, May 2019, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30041-8.
UBS, "How nutrition impacts health and the economy," UBS Sustainability & Impact, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.ubs.com/global/en/sustainability-impact/our-insights/2023/how-nutrition-impacts-health-and-the-economy.html.
Australian Bureau of Statistics, "Dieting and food avoidance," ABS, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/food-and-nutrition/dieting-and-food-avoidance/latest-release.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, "Variety of healthy eating patterns linked with lower risk of premature death," Harvard Public Health, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/variety-of-healthy-eating-patterns-linked-with-lower-risk-of-premature-death/.
Zaitronics, "ESP32 30 pin vs 38 pin development boards," Zaitronics Guides, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://zaitronics.com.au/blogs/guides/esp32-30-pin-vs-38-pin-development-boards.