Layer Origin’s Picture-Based Personal Nutrition Test: What Is It and Why Do I Need One?

April 27, 2023 8 min read

Layer Origin’s Picture-Based Personal Nutrition Test: What Is It and Why Do I Need One?

If you’ve ever wondered what your nutrient intake is or what’s missing from your diet but haven’t got the time to visit a nutritionist or dietitian, then our picture-based nutrition test (click to access) is for you.

It’s quick, simple, and accurate, giving you a detailed insight into the areas of your diet you can improve as well as what you’re doing well. In this article, we’ll explore the test in more depth, why you should do one and the advantages it can bring.

What is Layer Origin’s picture-based personal nutrition test? 

The personal nutrition test is a picture-based food frequency questionnaire. The purpose of the test is to analyse your food intake over the previous three-month period to calculate your nutrient intake and provide you with personalised dietary recommendations.

One of the major benefits is it identifies the nutrients that are missing or low in your diet. So, you can make informed decisions based on the insights you are provided to help improve your nutrient intake.

What do you have to do to complete the picture-based personal nutritional test?

The test is super easy. All you need to do is fill out a comprehensive pictorial questionnaire. Simply, pick the food and drink you’ve consumed in the last three months and how regularly. That’s it.

There are no difficult forms to fill out or endless typing. For each category, select the appropriate foods and drinks to get your results.

How long does it take?

It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the questionnaire and you’ll get your results immediately. We recommend setting 30 to 45 minutes aside in a quiet space to complete the test.

How much does the test cost?

Nothing. You can take the test for free by following these instructions:

  • Go to the test page
  • Click the ‘Add to cart’ button
  • Go to ‘Checkout’
  • In the Discount Code box enter: FreeNutritionTest
  • Checkout

Please note: The test is limited to one per customer.

Once purchased, a link to the test will be emailed to the email address you provided during checkout.

What does the test give you?

Once you have answered all of the questions in the assessment, we calculate all the macro- and micronutrients present in your diet and give you an accurate and detailed report with personalised recommendations to help you eat and live healthier.

You’ll also get a summary report which summarises all the key points from the main report, great for a quick reference or to see where you need to improve. Plus, you’ll get a Top Foods report which lists the foods you should try to limit.

How do you know the picture-based personalised nutrition assessment is accurate?

The assessment algorithm has been used by leading medical research universities and projects, including The American Gut Project as well as numerous phase III drug trials. The analysis of your results is scientifically validated and provides the equivalent of 90 days nutrition tracking.

What will I learn from my Personal Health and Nutrition Report?

Your Personal Health and Nutrition Report is split into 6 key sections related to your health and nutrition. In each section, you’ll be provided with insights related to three important areas of your health:

  • Body measures
  • Nutrition
  • Food lists

Within each section, you’ll also receive action steps to help improve your health and nutrition status.

What are the six sections?

The six sections of the report are:

  1. Body measures
    1. Body Mass Index (BMI)
    2. Estimated Energy Requirement (EER)
  2. Current and Recommended Eating Patterns
  3. Top Foods
  4. Detailed Nutrient Profile
  5. Current Eating Pattern Food List
  6. Complete Food List

Body Measures

Within the Body Measures section of the report, you are given your Body Mass Index, also known as your BMI, a body fat measurement based on your height and weight[i]. The calculation is used to determine your weight status to see if you sit within a specific weight category. The following table shows what your BMI score means.

BMI Score

Weight status

<18.5

Underweight

18.5 – 24.9

Normal

25 – 29.9

Overweight

≥30

Obese[ii]

 

The Body Measures section also gives you your Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) value which is the calorie intake you need to maintain your current weight. To calculate EER, your age, height, weight, sex, and activity level are taken into consideration.

The EER can help you determine if you need to gain, lose, or maintain weight and how you need to do so.

Current and Recommended Eating Patterns

In this section, the answers you gave in your questionnaire regarding your current daily intake of certain foods are considered. This helps to build a picture of how your specific food intake compares to the recommended dietary guidelines.

The section is clear and easy to follow with red and green labels to help you visibly see if your intake is within the goal range (green) or out of goal range (red).

Your Top Foods – With Nutrients to Limit

Although all foods have nutritional value, not all nutrients are good for your health, such as added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. Within this section of your report, you’ll be given a list of foods that you should try to limit in your daily diet.

This section will show you your:

  • Top Total Fat Foods
  • Top Saturated Fat Foods
  • Top Added Sugar Foods
  • Top Sodium Foods

Your Top Foods – With Key Nutrients

The Key Nutrients section of your report gives you a detailed overview of the top foods in your diet that contain the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Although some of the key nutrients are found in foods that can increase your sugar, fat, and energy intake, the section provides you with good healthy sources.

The section will show you your:

  • Top Calcium Foods
  • Top Fiber Foods
  • Top Protein Foods

Detailed Nutrient Profile

This section of the report shows you your estimated daily intake for energy, selected nutrients, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. Again, a colour coded system of green and red will help you clearly see if you are within the recommended range.

If you fall outside the range and are not getting enough of a specific nutrient, you’ll be given a list of what foods you currently eat that contain it and a list of the top food sources it can be found in. This will help you to make informed choices about your diet and increase your intake.

Current Eating Pattern Food List and Complete Food List

These two sections provide a detailed breakdown of the foods you currently eat, the size of your portions, frequency, and daily amounts of key nutrients the food provides. In all, the report provides you with your:

  • Macronutrient intake
    • Carbohydrates
    • Fiber
    • Saturated and unsaturated fat
    • Protein
  • Micronutrient intake
    • Vitamins C, D, E,K, & B
    • Minerals

Why do I need a Personalised Health and Nutrition Test?

Taking supplements like Layer Origin’s PureHMOs® is just one part of the overall solution towards better health. Eating the correct foods in the correct balance is vital for every aspect of your life including weight, energy levels, mood, disease status and gut health.

A healthy diet, alongside other important lifestyle factors such as exercise, protects your body from many chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer[iii]. The Personalised Nutrition and Health Test from Layer Origin can give you sneak peek into your diet and show you where you may need to make dietary changes or improvements to boost your health.

The test is also great if you have been advised to lose or even gain weight as it can pinpoint the specific areas of your diet that may be contributing to an unhealthy lifestyle. The report also gives you tips, ideas, and advice about the rate at which you should be losing or gaining weight, the good sources of foods for the specific nutrients you may be lacking, as well as giving you a detailed breakdown of what your food and drink intake has looked like over the previous three months.

You can get your test here.

How else can I support my diet?

As well as eating a healthy, balanced diet there are many other things you can do to help boost and maintain your health. Exercise is a great example, and it is recommended that adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week as well as 2 days of muscle strength work, like weight training or activities, such as push ups[iv].

Other things you should consider are:

  • Giving up smoking
  • Reducing your alcohol intake
  • Lowering stress

At Layer Origin Nutrition, we also have a wide range of products and supplements that can help support your gut and wider health.

HMOsor human milk oligosaccharides are prebiotics naturally found in human breast milk. HMOs are the third most abundant of mother’s milk and are associated with many benefits for both infants and adults, particularly for gut health[v].

Our fermented 2’-Fucosyllactose has been shown to:

  • Restore gut balance and regularity
  • Support cognitive functions
  • Reduce digestive discomfort
  • Strengthen the gut lining

Our Organic Apple Peel Powder is packed full of the rich phytonutrients found in apple peel, in a convenient powder that can easily be added to smoothies, juices, and health food recipes. Try our delicious Apple Peel and Almond Date Balls for a super repair boost.

Apple Peel Powder also helps to nourish the bacteria Akkermansia muciniphila,a mucin-degrader that’s commonly found in the gut and is associated with a reduced risk of developing metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes[vi]. The Organic Apple Peel Powder is also packed with nutrients and antioxidants which are associated with lowering inflammation and contributing to better health outcomes.

If you want to maximise the benefits of Apple Peel Powder and HMOs, why not try the Simple Reds Fruit Powder? Packed with red polyphenols and antioxidants, Simple Reds contains 5 red fruit powders to give you a natural energy boost and increase your fibre intake in a healthy way.

Explore our full range in our shop.

Summary

Take a Picture-Based Personalised Health and Nutrition Test today to get a good look at your diet and the effects it could be having on your health. Taking into consideration the foods and drinks you have consumed in a three-month period, the test can give you comprehensive insights into your macro-and micronutrient intake.

You can also help to support the health of your gut and beyond with Layer Origin’s extensive range of pro- and prebiotics.

Written By: 

Leanne Edermaniger

A science writer who specialises in human health and enjoys writing about all things related to the gut microbiome.

Sources

[i] Calculate your BMI - standard BMI Calculator [Internet]. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; [cited 2023Apr8]. Available from: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm

[ii] BMI Calculator [Internet]. Harvard Health. 2021 [cited 2023Apr8]. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/bmi-calculator

[iii] Healthy diet [Internet]. World Health Organization. World Health Organization; [cited 2023Apr8]. Available from: https://www.who.int/initiatives/behealthy/healthy-diet

[iv] How much physical activity do adults need? [Internet]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2022 [cited 2023Apr8]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm#:~:text=Each%20week%20adults%20need%20150,Physical%20Activity%20Guidelines%20for%20Americans.&text=We%20know%20150%20minutes%20of,do%20it%20all%20at%20once.

[v] Hegar B, Wibowo Y, Basrowi RW, Ranuh RG, Sudarmo SM, Munasir Z, Atthiyah AF, Widodo AD, Supriatmo, Kadim M, Suryawan A, Diana NR, Manoppo C, Vandenplas Y. The Role of Two Human Milk Oligosaccharides, 2'-Fucosyllactose and Lacto-N-Neotetraose, in Infant Nutrition. Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr. 2019 Jul;22(4):330-340. doi: 10.5223/pghn.2019.22.4.330. Epub 2019 Jun 25. PMID: 31338308; PMCID: PMC6629589.

[vi] Zhou K. Strategies to promote abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila, an emerging probiotics in the gut, evidence from dietary intervention studies. J Funct Foods. 2017 Jun;33:194-201. doi: 10.1016/j.jff.2017.03.045. Epub 2017 Mar 29. PMID: 30416539; PMCID: PMC6223323.


1 Response

jenna
jenna

April 30, 2023

Where is the test? The only thing I find is the blog about the test. Can’t seem to locate the actual test. Thanks!

Leave a comment


Also in GUT HEALTH KNOWLEDGE CENTER

Beat the Bloat
Beat the Bloating: Harnessing the Power of Human Milk Oligosaccharides for Gut Health

October 12, 2024 7 min read

Bloating is one of the most commonly reported digestive complaints. Here we examine some of the evidence that suggests human milk oligosaccharides could provide some much needed relief.
Read More
HMOs increase the ability of Bifidobacteria to adhere to the intestinal epithelium
HMOs Increase the Ability of Bifidobacteria to Adhere to the Intestinal Epithelium

October 05, 2024 7 min read

Find out how HMOs can enhance the adherence of Bifidobacteria to the intestinal epithelial cells, promoting the colonization of these health-promoting probiotics.
Read More
Can Human Milk Oligosaccharides Improve Brain Health & Function?
Can Human Milk Oligosaccharides Improve Brain Health & Function?

September 22, 2024 10 min read

The gut, also known as the second brain, has a direct hotline to the brain called the gut-brain axis. This unique bi-directional communication pathway links the gut microbiota with the central nervous system (CNS) and can directly influence brain function and health. Secondary to this, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are important prebiotics that can modulate the composition of the gut microbiome which could influence the activity and function of the brain. Here we investigate how.
Read More