title: Fuzzy sets and fuzzy decision making in nutrition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper demonstrates that a nutrient intake can be described in a differentiated way and can be evaluated by employing fuzzy decision making. It also examines whether fuzzy decision making can simplify nutrition education by small individual improvements in food selection behaviour.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recommendations for nutrient intakes are presented as fuzzy sets, so that the intake of each nutrient can be evaluated by an objective fuzzy value. The evaluation of the harmonic minimum allows, for the first time, that the fuzzy value of an individual nutrient can be stated as a total value. On the basis of individual nutrition assessment, fuzzy logic in connection with fuzzy decision making, allows optimization of meals considering individual food preferences. This makes it possible in nutrition counselling to improve the nutrient intake markedly with relative small changes in food choice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fuzzy decision making can simplify and optimize nutrition education.
authors.affiliation: Albat + Wirsam Software-Vertriebs GmbH, Linden, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wirsam
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Uthus
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leitzmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005459:Fluorides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education; D009752:Nutritional Status
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D005459:Fluorides