Personal computer breath analyzer for health-related behavior modification and method

A medical apparatus comprising:

• a breath-component analyzer, wherein said breath-component analyzer is an acetone analyzer for detecting weight loss;
• a computer connected to said analyzer and receiving a breath-component signal from said analyzer;
• memory connected to said computer;
• a data structure stored in said memory representative of at least a first breath-component signal;
• a computer program comparing said stored data structure of said first breath-component signal;
• an input device recording information provided by the patient;
• a correlation program on said computer correlating input from said breath-component analyzer and input from said device and providing a response for said patient based on the correlating of said inputs;
• and
• a communications interface coupled to said computer, said interface communicating at least a portion of said response to said patient.

A method for analyzing breath of a patient for at least one component comprising acetone, comprising the steps of taking a breath sample from a patient;

• analyzing components of said sample to product a first breath component profile;
• storing said first breath component profile in computer-accessible memory;
• taking a second breath sample from said patient;
• analyzing components of said sample to produce a second breath component profile;
• comparing said first and second breath component profiles;
• recording information provided by the patient through an input device;
• correlating in a computer, input from said breath-component analyzer and input from said device;
• and
• providing a response for said patient based on said inputs.