A Computer Advice System for a Vegetarian Diet Available to Purchase

Aims to provide an expert system to offer dietary advice to those on a vegetarian diet or responsible for catering for vegetarians. Chose Prolog as language for the construction of the expert system (a language initially developed for use on mainframe computers but which more recently has become generally available for PCs). In its present form the system assesses the intake of protein, calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin C and offers relevant dietary advice. It works on a 24‐hour recall system, prompting the user to enter the type and quantity of food eaten at each meal. The system also provides a facility to enter different drinks and snacks taken throughout the day. The extension of the database (in terms both of nutrients and of foods) and the provision of a cursor‐key or mouse‐driven input system (to highlight the chosen option in each menu) would produce a package suitable for use in a commercial environment.