Many Americans are now using AI chatbots like ChatGPT for meal plans and nutrition advice, but experts say the technology can be dangerously misleading.
A recent New York Times survey found over 500 readers reporting positive experiences, praising chatbots for personalized suggestions and accountability. One user, Julie Bernstein, 76, used ChatGPT to create vegan meal plans when her doctor couldn't help.
But researchers warn that chatbots lack clinical judgment. In a March study from Turkey, five chatbots generated meal plans for teenagers that contained roughly 700 fewer daily calories than a dietitian's plan-potentially risking malnutrition and eating disorders.
Nick Tiller of the Lundquist Institute found that 72% of chatbot nutrition responses were rated ineffective or harmful. He notes that chatbots "always respond confidently and authoritatively," even when wrong.
Dietitians advise using chatbots for simple tasks like brainstorming meals, but emphasize running any advice by a doctor or dietitian for significant dietary changes.